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Higher in status, (Even) better-than-average.

Michael E W Varnum1

  • 1Psychology, Arizona State University Tempe, AZ, USA.

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PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Chronic socioeconomic status (SES) is linked to an increased tendency to overestimate abilities, known as the better-than-average effect (BTAE). Temporary changes in SES did not significantly impact this cognitive bias.

Keywords:
SESbetter-than-average-effectillusory superiorityself-enhancementsocial class

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Behavioral Economics

Background:

  • The better-than-average effect (BTAE) describes the tendency for individuals to overestimate their positive qualities and abilities.
  • Socioeconomic status (SES) is a complex construct encompassing social and economic factors, and its relationship with cognitive biases like BTAE warrants investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between various measures of socioeconomic status (SES) and the magnitude of the better-than-average effect (BTAE).
  • To determine whether chronic versus temporary SES influences BTAE.

Main Methods:

  • Five online studies were conducted with a total of 1357 participants recruited via Amazon's MTurk.
  • Participants' subjective and objective measures of current and childhood SES were assessed.
  • Meta-analysis was used to synthesize findings across studies.
  • Experimental manipulations of subjective status, power, and dominance were employed in specific studies.

Main Results:

  • Subjective measures of current SES consistently showed a positive correlation with BTAE magnitude.
  • Objective SES measures (income, education) exhibited weaker and less consistent associations with BTAE.
  • Childhood SES measures were positively correlated with BTAE, but less strongly than current subjective SES.
  • Meta-analysis confirmed significant correlations between chronic SES measures (excluding education) and BTAE.
  • Experimental manipulations of SES did not yield substantial effects on BTAE magnitude.

Conclusions:

  • Chronic socioeconomic status, particularly subjective status, is associated with a greater tendency towards the better-than-average effect.
  • Temporary fluctuations in SES do not appear to significantly alter the magnitude of BTAE.
  • These findings suggest that enduring social standing, rather than transient status, plays a role in self-enhancement biases.