Inequality in researchers’ minds: Four guiding questions for studying subjective perceptions of economic inequality

Subjective perceptions of inequality can substantially influence policy attitudes, public health metrics, and societal well‐being, but the lack of consensus in the scientific community on how to best operationalize and measure these perceptions may impede progress on the topic. Here, we provide a th...

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Veröffentlicht in:Journal of economic surveys Jg. 37; H. 5; S. 1534 - 1561
Hauptverfasser: Jachimowicz, Jon M., Davidai, Shai, Goya‐Tocchetto, Daniela, Szaszi, Barnabas, Day, Martin V., Tepper, Stephanie J., Phillips, L. Taylor, Mirza, M. Usman, Ordabayeva, Nailya, Hauser, Oliver P.
Format: Journal Article
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2023
Schlagworte:
Attitudes
Economic inequality
Frame analysis
Health behavior
Inequality
Measurement
Perceptions
Political attitudes
Public health
Public opinion
Researcher subject relations
Researchers
Scientific community
Social research
Social sciences
Subjectivity
ISSN:0950-0804, 1467-6419
Online-Zugang:Volltext
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Zusammenfassung:Subjective perceptions of inequality can substantially influence policy attitudes, public health metrics, and societal well‐being, but the lack of consensus in the scientific community on how to best operationalize and measure these perceptions may impede progress on the topic. Here, we provide a theoretical framework for the study of subjective perceptions of inequality, which brings critical differences to light. This framework—which we conceptualize as a series of four guiding questions for studying subjective perceptions of economic inequality —serves as a blueprint for the theoretical and empirical decisions researchers need to address in the study of when , how , and why subjective perceptions of inequality are consequential for individuals, groups, and societies. To lay the foundation for a comprehensive approach to the topic, we offer four theoretical and empirical decisions in studying subjective perceptions of inequality, urging researchers to specify: (1) What kind of inequality? (2) What level of analysis? (3) What part of the distribution? and (4) What comparison group? We subsequently discuss how this framework can be used to organize existing research and highlight its utility in guiding future research across the social sciences in both the theory and measurement of subjective perceptions of inequality.
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ISSN:0950-0804
1467-6419
DOI:10.1111/joes.12507