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Income inequality and personality: Are less equal U.S. states less agreeable?

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  • de Vries, Robert
  • Gosling, Samuel
  • Potter, Jeff
Abstract
Richard Wilkinson's 'inequality hypothesis' describes the relationship between societal income inequality and population health in terms of the corrosive psychosocial effects of social hierarchy. An explicit component of this hypothesis is that inequality should lead individuals to become more competitive and self-focused, less friendly and altruistic. Together these traits are a close conceptual match to the opposing poles of the Big Five personality factor of Agreeableness; a widely used concept in the field of personality psychology. Based on this fact, we predicted that individuals living in more economically unequal U.S. states should be lower in Agreeableness than those living in more equal states. This hypothesis was tested in both ecological and multilevel analyses in the 50 states plus Washington DC, using a large Internet sample (NÂ =Â 674,885). Consistent with predictions, ecological and multilevel models both showed a negative relationship between state level inequality and Agreeableness. These relationships were not explained by differences in average income, overall state socio-demographic composition or individual socio-demographic characteristics.

Suggested Citation

  • de Vries, Robert & Gosling, Samuel & Potter, Jeff, 2011. "Income inequality and personality: Are less equal U.S. states less agreeable?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(12), pages 1978-1985, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:72:y:2011:i:12:p:1978-1985
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Tobias Ebert & Jochen E. Gebauer & Thomas Brenner & Wiebke Bleidorn & Samuel D. Gosling & Jeff Potter & P. Jason Rentfrow, 2019. "Are Regional Differences in Personality and their Correlates robust? Applying Spatial Analysis Techniques to Examine Regional Variation in Personality across the U.S. and Germany," Working Papers on Innovation and Space 2019-05, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
    3. Martin Obschonka & Eva Schmitt-Rodermund & Rainer K. Silbereisen & Samuel D. Gosling & Jeff Potter, 2013. "The Regional Distribution and Correlates of an Entrepreneurship-Prone Personality Profile in the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom: A Socioecological Perspective," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 550, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    4. Clark, Andrew E. & D'Ambrosio, Conchita, 2014. "Attitudes to Income Inequality: Experimental and Survey Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 8136, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Li, Wenqi & Wu, Junhui & Yang, Ying & Yuan, Mingliang & Lin, Jing & Kou, Yu, 2023. "Longitudinal relations between perceived economic inequality and prosocial behavior among Chinese adolescents: The mediating role of system justification," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    6. Peter J Rentfrow & Markus Jokela & Michael E Lamb, 2015. "Regional Personality Differences in Great Britain," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(3), pages 1-20, March.
    7. Schenck-Fontaine, Anika & Gassman-Pines, Anna, 2020. "Income inequality and child maltreatment risk during economic recession," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    8. Pickett, Kate E. & Wilkinson, Richard G., 2015. "Income inequality and health: A causal review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 316-326.
    9. Zheng, Hui & Choi, Yoonyoung & Dirlam, Jonathan & George, Linda, 2022. "Rising childhood income inequality and declining Americans’ health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).

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