Disparities separate us (and sometimes unite us too!): psychosocial effects of economic inequality

Doctoral Course in Cognitive Science - PhD Talk

Within the MIUR programme framework “Dipartimenti di Eccellenza”

Speaker

• Rosa Rodríguez Bailón - University of Granada (Spain)

Scientific coordinator: Maria Paola Paladino

Abstract

Economic inequality is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Social psychological research is crucial to understanding consequences of economic disparities, analysing the individual and group responses to it, and developing effective inequality reduction programs and policies. In my talk I will present some evidence from our lab and others’ showing how economic inequality, and specially its subjective perception, may impact in our lives getting individuals apart, increasing social distance and triggering individual vs common goals and normative climate. On the other hand, I will also show how economic inequality may also motivate us to reduce it when it is experienced more closely in our social networks. I will highlight the importance of social psychological analyses on individual and group cognitive and motivational processes triggered by economic inequality in understanding and proposing initiatives for redistribution.