Economic Inequality Increases Status Anxiety Through Perceived Contextual Competitiveness

Melita, Davide; Willis, Guillermo B.; Rodríguez‐Bailón, Rosa

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.637365

Cited by 53 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…), whereas the idea that income inequality—a macroeconomic predictor—impacts cultural values and norms via school institutions seems to have more explanatory depth. Second, a reverse causality-based account is not consistent with extant experimental evidence documenting that induced income inequality increases competitiveness in the economic environment (e.g., Cheng et al, 2021; Melita et al, 2021; Sommet et al, 2019) and with Study 3, which documents similar effects in the academic environment.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 72%

“…Observational (i.e., nonexperimental) evidence indicates that people residing in more unequal areas perceive their fellow residents as being more prone to competitiveness (Sommet et al, 2019), and that income inequality can disrupt the social fabric and break the norms of reciprocity that facilitate cooperation (Kawachi & Kennedy, 1999; but see Kim et al, 2021). Experimental evidence confirms this twofold tendency: When participants are asked to imagine living in a society with high rather than low levels of income inequality, they picture their fellow inhabitants as being more likely to care about personal success, social recognition, and competitiveness, rather than the welfare of others, social justice, and cooperativeness (Cheng et al, 2021;Melita et al, 2021;Sánchez-Rodríguez et al, 2020;Sánchez-Rodríguez et al, 2019).…”

Section: Income Inequality Competitiveness and Cooperativeness In The...mentioning

confidence: 92%

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Income inequality predicts competitiveness and cooperativeness at school.

Sommet¹,

Weissman²,

Elliot³

2022

Journal of Educational Psychology

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Competitiveness and cooperativeness are important predictors of social and learning outcomes at school. Drawing on evidence suggesting that contexts with high income inequality foster an ethos of competitiveness and inhibit cooperativeness in the economic environment, we examine whether income inequality is also associated with more competitiveness and less cooperativeness in the academic environment. We conducted four preregistered studies to test this idea. In Study 1, analysis of the OECD PISA 2018 data set (%500,000 15-year-old students from 75 countries) revealed that students from economically unequal countries perceive their schoolmates as more competitive and less cooperative. In Study 2a and 2b, analysis of the PISA 2003 (250,000þ students from 38 countries) and PISA 2000 (75,000þ students from 32 countries) data sets revealed that students from unequal countries are themselves more competitive and, surprisingly, also more cooperative. Follow-up analyses resolved this apparent paradox, showing that students from unequal countries are oriented toward instrumental rather than intrinsic cooperativeness (i.e., using cooperation as a strategic tool to achieve academic success rather than for the enjoyment of the activity itself). Study 3 offers a conceptual experimental replication (%850 young adults imagining going back to school) and indicates that induced income inequality (a) increases perceived competitiveness, (b) decreases perceived cooperativeness, (c) prompts an orientation toward competitiveness, and (d) prompts an orientation toward instrumental rather than intrinsic cooperativeness. Results are discussed in relation to the multidisciplinary literatures on the psychology of income inequality, the selective function of school systems, coopetition, self-determination, and cooperative learning. Educational Impact and Implications StatementIndividuals residing in places with high income inequality have been shown to compete more fiercely for status and cooperate less. In this research, we examine whether this phenomenon also applies to students at school. Analyses of three OECD PISA data sets (%850,000 students from a total of 75þ countries observed in 2018, 2003, and 2000) show that 15-year-old students from economically unequal countries (a) perceive their schoolmates as more competitive and less cooperative and (b) are more competitive and more strategically cooperative (i.e., they use cooperation as a tool to achieve academic success). An experiment manipulating income inequality (%850 young adults) led to the same conclusions. Taken together, our results suggest that income inequality fosters an ethos of competitiveness among the workforce of tomorrow.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 72%

Section: Income Inequality Competitiveness and Cooperativeness In The...mentioning

confidence: 92%

Income inequality predicts competitiveness and cooperativeness at school.

Sommet¹,

Weissman²,

Elliot³

2022

Journal of Educational Psychology

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“…We asked participants to report the frequency of perceived economic inequality in their everyday life by answering the following question (from 1 = never, to 5 = very frequently): "How often do you see situations of economic inequality in your daily life?" PEIEL's measures in recent studies have shown satisfactory validity evidences (see Melita et al, 2021;Sánchez-Rodríguez et al, 2020).…”

Section: Perceived Economic Inequality In Everyday Life (Pelel)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing attitudes toward redistribution: The role of perceived economic inequality in everyday life and intolerance of inequality

García-Castro

González

Frigolett

et al. 2022

The Journal of Social Psychology

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Modern societies are characterized by economic inequality. Redistributive policies are one of the means to reduce it. We argue that perceived economic inequality in everyday life and intolerance of it are central factors to enhance positive attitudes toward redistribution. To test it, we conducted a four-wave longitudinal panel study in Chile with a sample of 1221 college students (at T1baseline, 960 at T2, 926 at T3, and 787 at T4; Mage = 18.89). As expected, a cross-lagged longitudinal analysis controlled by household income confirmed a positive relationship between perceived economic inequality in everyday life and intolerance of inequality, which in turn was positively associated with support for redistributive policies.These results were stable and consistent over time, supporting the idea that perceived economic inequality in everyday life enhances positive attitudes toward redistribution by increasing intolerance of it. Results highlight the important role played by perceived inequality in everyday life.

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“…In this way, comparing the reference group members' increased wealth with one' own can trigger status anxiety (Ferrer-i-Carbonell and Ramos, 2012;Charles and Lundy, 2013). Therefore, living in high economic inequality conditions can increase concerns about the social position, and in turn perpetuate status anxiety (Walasek and Brown, 2019;Melita et al, 2021). Importantly, from our point of view, status anxiety should not just be considered as a consequence of economic inequality, but it could also trigger, in turn, other important psychological processes, such as consumption decisions, aimed to look for status seeking.…”

Section: Seeking For Social Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economic Inequality Increases the Preference for Status Consumption

2022

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Prior research has shown the relationship between objective economic inequality and searching for positional goods. It also investigated the relationship between social class and low income with conspicuous consumption. However, the causal relationship between economic inequality (the difference in wealth between individuals and groups living in a shared context and consumer behavior) has been less explored. Furthermore, there are also few studies looking for the psychological mechanisms that underlie these effects. The current research’s main goal is to analyze the consequences of perceived economic inequality (PEI) on conspicuous and status consumption and the possible psychological mechanisms that could explain its effects. Furthermore, the current research aims to examine whether there is a causal relationship between PEI and materialism preferences and attitudes toward indebtedness. This work includes two preregister experimental studies. In the Study 1 (n = 252), we manipulated PEI and its legitimacy through a 2 (high vs. low inequality) × 2 (Illegitimate vs. legitimate) between-participants experiment. Results showed a main effect of PEI on status consumption, status seeking, status anxiety, materialism, and attitude toward indebtedness. No interaction effect between legitimacy and inequality was found. In the Study 2 (n = 301), we manipulated the PEI through the Bimboola Paradigm. We replicated the effect of PEI on status consumption, status seeking, and materialism and found that status seeking mediated the relationship between PEI and status and conspicuous consumption. Economic inequality affects consumer behavior and favors consumption preferences for products that provide desirable symbolic values associated with status. These results could have important implications in the interpersonal and intergroup processes, including those related to consumption and purchase.

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Economic Inequality Increases Status Anxiety Through Perceived Contextual Competitiveness

Cited by 53 publications

References 45 publications

Income inequality predicts competitiveness and cooperativeness at school.

Income inequality predicts competitiveness and cooperativeness at school.

Changing attitudes toward redistribution: The role of perceived economic inequality in everyday life and intolerance of inequality

Economic Inequality Increases the Preference for Status Consumption

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