Social class, solipsism, and contextualism: how the rich are different from the poor

Social class is shaped by an individual's material resources as well as perceptions of rank vis-à-vis others in society, and in this article, we examine how class influences behavior. Diminished resources and lower rank create contexts that constrain social outcomes for lower-class individuals...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological review Vol. 119; no. 3; p. 546
Main Authors: Kraus, Michael W, Piff, Paul K, Mendoza-Denton, Rodolfo, Rheinschmidt, Michelle L, Keltner, Dacher
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States 01.07.2012
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Attitude
Culture
Humans
Individuality
Interpersonal Relations
Models, Theoretical
Morals
Personal Autonomy
Personal Satisfaction
Power (Psychology)
Psychological Theory
Psychology, Social
Self Concept
Social Behavior
Social Class
Social Environment
Socioeconomic Factors
ISSN:1939-1471, 1939-1471
Online Access:Get more information
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Summary:Social class is shaped by an individual's material resources as well as perceptions of rank vis-à-vis others in society, and in this article, we examine how class influences behavior. Diminished resources and lower rank create contexts that constrain social outcomes for lower-class individuals and enhance contextualist tendencies--that is, a focus on external, uncontrollable social forces and other individuals who influence one's life outcomes. In contrast, abundant resources and elevated rank create contexts that enhance the personal freedoms of upper-class individuals and give rise to solipsistic social cognitive tendencies--that is, an individualistic focus on one's own internal states, goals, motivations, and emotions. Guided by this framework, we detail 9 hypotheses and relevant empirical evidence concerning how class-based contextualist and solipsistic tendencies shape the self, perceptions of the social environment, and relationships to other individuals. Novel predictions and implications for research in other socio-political contexts are considered.
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ISSN:1939-1471
1939-1471
DOI:10.1037/a0028756