Socioeconomic Status Self-deception as a Way to Perpetuate Classist Societies

Theoretical background

Several theories, such as the System Justification Theory (Jost & Hunyady, 2005), and the Social Dominance Theory (Sidanius & Pratto, 1999), have attempted to explain why people legitimize and reinforce dominance systems and their consequences, especially when such systems harm them. However, predictions from these models have been scarcely applied to explain and predict how and when people support or challenge systems which produce and maintain economic inequality. To that end, we integrate predictions derived from System Justification Theory and Social Dominance Theory. More concretely, we propose that a motivated cognitive mechanism contribute to perpetuate economic inequality through higher system justification; This is socioeconomic status (SES) self-deception, which we define as a motivated tendency to perceive oneself as having a higher subjective SES than would correspond to objective conditions.

Original goals

We propose that inequality-enhancing systems promote a normative classist climate that leads people to evaluate their status inconsistently. When individuals perceive a highly classist normative climate, they could protect their self-image by overestimating their social position. In turn, this inconsistency between objective and subjective SES, which we called SES self-deception, could lead to lower status anxiety, less relative deprivation, higher support for the economic system, and less willingness to support system changes and redistribution. We argue that this cognitive mismatch could be a powerful ideological motive for people to support the system and oppose policies that benefit them.

Our studies aim contributing to understanding why disadvantaged groups support exploiting systems, providing evidence of a cognitive mechanism which leads individuals to self-deceive themselves regarding their socioeconomic status. In addition, our studies introduce a fundamental concept that, despite being sporadically explored in certain studies within social psychology, need more systematic investigation. We propose a novel conceptualization and measurement approach for this concept, namely SES self-deception, aiming to not only contribute to our proposed studies but also establish a foundation for future research.

The current project

Our research design encompasses four different studies, which utilize representative samples from specific countries (Chile in Study 1, Spain in Study 3 and USA in Study 4) or employ large databases with representative samples from multiple countries (ISSP in Study 2). We included different measures to replicate our results throughout these studies and, in each study, we conducted several robustness checks. The utilization of these high-quality databases, characterized by rigorous sampling methods (such as random sampling and quota stratification), contributes to our research’s consistency and enhanced scientific value. Moreover, in Study 4, we employed higher quality measures for our variables to test our theoretical model comprehensively. Although alternative methods may exist, we firmly believe that the selected methodologies, when considered together, effectively address our research question while examining hypotheses across different countries and employing diverse measures. This comprehensive approach bolsters our confidence in the replicability of our findings.

Results and Contribution to wider research activities

Using different samples, methods, and measures, we have linked SES self-deception (i.e., the discrepancy between one's actual SES and subjective SES), with a more negative attitude toward redistribution (except in Study 4), a lower perception of relative deprivation, lower levels of status anxiety, and greater system justification. However, contrary to our expectations (Hypothesis 1), we did not find an effect of perceived classist climate on SES self-deception. Our proposed model highlights the implications of SES self-deception for attitudes and psychological well-being. All in all, we consider that this research significantly contributes to the literature on the psychological mechanisms involved in maintaining inequalities.

In conclusion, our results demonstrate that SES self-deception may have significant implications for explaining why individuals justify the system, their attitudes toward redistribution, perceptions of relative deprivation, and status anxiety. Understanding how individuals are unable to accurately position themselves on the social ladder, what motivates this, and what the consequences are, appears to be a fundamental task both theoretically and practically to understand how people may unwittingly perpetuate systems that could lead them to unfavorable situations. We hope that this research will open the way to future theorizing and empirical research on the how hierarchy-enhancing systems shape cognitive mechanisms contributing to maintain inequalities.

Reference to the Publication

Melita, D., Alcañiz-Colomer, J., Matamoros-Lima, J., Ariza-Ríos, S., Moya, M. (2024) Socioeconomic Status Self-deception as a Way to Perpetuate Classist Societies. Political Psychology. In press.

Authors

Davide Melita*, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
Joaquín Alcañiz-Colomer*, Research Centre in Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CIMCYC), Granada, Spain
Juan Matamoros-Lima*, Research Centre in Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CIMCYC), Granada, Spain
Silvestre Ariza Ríos, Research Centre in Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CIMCYC), Granada, Spain
Miguel Moya, Research Centre in Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CIMCYC), Granada, Spain

References

Jost, J. T., & Hunyady, O. (2005). Antecedents and consequences of system-justifying ideologies. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(5), 260–265. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2005.00377.x
Sidanius, J., & Pratto, F. (1999). Social dominance: An intergroup theory of social hierarchy and oppression. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139175043