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Social comparison plays a fundamental role in the evaluation of personal success and self-worth. Rather than assessing our achievements in isolation, we interpret their significance relative to personal goals and critically in comparison to the performance of others. A grade of B in a mathematics exam might elicit pride if one's expectation was a C, yet result in disappointment if an A was anticipated or if peers achieved superior results. These comparative evaluations illustrate how both...
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The undervalued self: social class and self-evaluation.

Michael W Kraus1, Jun W Park2

  • 1University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Champaign, IL, USA.

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Social class perceptions significantly influence self-evaluation. Lower perceived economic standing is linked to lower self-esteem, especially when individuals are reminded of their social position.

Keywords:
emotionself-conceptself-esteemsocial classsocioeconomic status

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Area of Science:

  • Social Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Behavioral Economics

Background:

  • Social class is a fundamental aspect of societal structure, influencing individual experiences and perceptions.
  • Understanding how socioeconomic status impacts self-perception is crucial for comprehending social inequalities.
  • Previous research has explored objective social class, but the role of subjective economic standing requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between perceptions of economic standing and self-evaluation.
  • To determine if subjective social class mediates the link between objective social class and self-esteem.
  • To examine how situational reminders of economic status affect self-evaluation, particularly in different social classes.

Main Methods:

  • Study 1 utilized objective measures of material resources and subjective perceptions of social class rank.
  • Study 2 involved an economic game where participants received different shares of resources, followed by emotion assessment.
  • Statistical analyses were employed to assess the mediating role of perceived social class and the impact of resource allocation.

Main Results:

  • Perceptions of social class rank fully accounted for the association between objective social class and self-esteem.
  • Lower-class individuals who received a smaller share of economic resources reported more negative self-conscious emotions.
  • These findings suggest that subjective economic standing plays a critical role in self-evaluation processes.

Conclusions:

  • Subjective perceptions of economic standing are a key factor in how individuals evaluate themselves.
  • Situational cues related to economic status can trigger negative self-evaluations, especially for those in lower social classes.
  • The research highlights the importance of class-based cultural models in shaping chronic self-perceptions.