Lay representations of social class: A mixed methods approach to wealth-based group perceptions and stereotypes

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Sociology
• Cultural Anthropology

Background:

• Academic definitions of social class often diverge from public understanding.
• Investigating lay perceptions is crucial for a comprehensive view of social stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how individuals in Spain perceive and categorize social classes.
• To compare lay perceptions with established sociological definitions of social class.
• To analyze the traits and characteristics attributed to different social classes by the general public.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys.
• Qualitative interviews (N=90) to explore spontaneous characterizations of wealth-based groups.
• Quantitative studies (N=251, N=190) and meta-analyses to validate and generalize findings.
• Psychometric network analysis to map trait associations with social classes.

Main Results:

• Participants identified 5 main categories: poor, lower/working, middle, upper, and rich/beyond.
• Positive traits were predominantly associated with non-wealthy groups (poor, lower/working classes).
• Negative traits were primarily linked to wealthy groups (upper, rich/beyond).
• Ambivalent positive traits were noted for non-wealthy groups, while wealthy groups were mainly described negatively.

Conclusions:

• Lay perceptions of social class are distinct from academic definitions.
• Context-sensitive approaches are essential for understanding social class representations.
• Public perceptions significantly influence societal views on social stratification.