Spatial Size Can Affect Social Categorization of the Rich and the Poor

Previous research has shown that representation of certain social-category knowledge, such as that regarding gender, involves the process of perceptual simulation. The present research extended these findings and explored whether social categorization based on wealth, which is an important dimension of social categorization, involved perceptual simulation of spatial size. In Experiment 1, we used high- and low-income occupations as stimuli; categorization of high-income occupations presented in larger font was faster relative to that of those presented in small font, and vice versa for low-income occupations. In Experiments 2, 3, and 4, we used high-income occupations without social power and low-income occupations, names designated as those of rich and poor people, and idioms describing wealth and poverty as stimuli, respectively. All three experiments showed that responses to wealth-related stimuli in larger font were faster relative to those to the same stimuli in small font, and vice versa for poverty-related stimuli. These results suggest that social categorization based on wealth is grounded in perceptual simulation of spatial size.