Justice
The Poor Are Less Happy in Places With More Income Inequality
A new study finds that we resent prosperous peers more in places with big wealth gaps—an effect that’s especially strong among low-income groups.
Lots of factors influence our happiness, and like it or not, behavioral scientists consistently find that money is one of them. But it’s not just our own money that impacts our well-being; the money those around us make matters, too. In one telling study from 1998, a majority of participants said they’d rather make $50,000 and have others bring in half that than make $100,000 and have others take home double. The Joneses do exist, and we kinda hate them.
A new study suggests our prosperous peers bother us even more in places with higher income inequality—an effect that’s especially strong among the poor.