Social Class, Solipsism, and Contextualism: How the Rich Are Different from the Poor

• Published in: Psychological review Vol. 119; no. 3; pp. 546 - 572
• Main Authors: Kraus, Michael W, Piff, Paul K, Mendoza-Denton, Rodolfo, Rheinschmidt, Michelle L, Keltner, Dacher
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Psychological Association 01.07.2012
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Advantaged; Attitude; Culture; Disadvantaged; Evidence; Guidelines; Humans; Individuality; Interpersonal Relations; Interpersonal Relationship; Models, Theoretical; Morals; Personal Autonomy; Personal Satisfaction; Power (Psychology); Psychological Theory; Psychology, Social; Research Problems; Self Concept; Social Behavior; Social Class; Social Cognition; Social Environment; Social Status; Socioeconomic Factors
• ISSN: 0033-295X; 1939-1471
• DOI: 10.1037/a0028756

Social class is shaped by an individual's material resources as well as perceptions of rank vis-a-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. (Contains 3 footnotes, 5 tables, and 5 figures.)