Perceived income inequality increases status seeking among low social class individuals. Issue 1 (5th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Du, Hongfei; Chen, Anli; Li, Yingling; Ma, Lijun; Xing, Qiang; Nie, Yangang
• Is Part Of: Asian journal of social psychology. Volume 25:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 52
• Page End: 59
• Publication Date: 2021-01-05
• Subjects: income inequality -- positional goods -- social class -- status seeking; Social psychology -- Periodicals; Social psychology -- Asia -- Periodicals; 302.095
• DOI: 10.1111/ajsp.12455
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-2223

Abstract

Abstract : Prior correlational research demonstrated that in a society with high income inequality, people are more likely to seek high status. The present study aimed to establish a causal relation between income inequality and status seeking by investigating the effects of perceived income inequality on the pursuit of positional goods. Moreover, we investigated whether the relation between perceived income inequality and the pursuit of positional goods is moderated by subjective social status. We manipulated high versus low income inequality and found that perceived income inequality increased the pursuit of positional goods among participants with low social status, but not among participants with high social status. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.