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MENTAL MODEL · M1117

The Glass Floor

The Glass Floor
CultureHigh supportSociology
Included
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

The opposite of the glass ceiling. It refers to an invisible barrier that prevents descendants of a particular group (usually the power elite) from sliding to the bottom of society. Even if they are mediocre, social resources will hold them up.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Class perspective. Understand the unfairness of competition. When seeing successful people, not only consider what ceiling they broke through, but also what floor is holding them up to prevent them from falling.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Opposite of the 'glass ceiling': the underprivileged are also implicitly protected or favored by a 'floor' that prevents them from falling below a certain line. The mechanism is an implicit lower limit.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Glass_FloorZH · Explicit
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