For many years in psychology, it was believed that people with low income are more kind, generous and compassionate to others. However, a recent global study that covers more than 2.3 million from 60 countries has shown that this assumption did not correspond to reality. Scientists who worked on research have found that in fact people with lower income show less kindness and generosity towards others.
According to researchers, in social situations where resources are limited, it is more difficult for people to show kindness or compassion for others. When a person has limited access to financial or other resources, his or her interests are often focused on their own survival. This can reduce the ability to think about the needs of other people, which is the basis for the manifestation of kindness and generosity.
Scientists from the Netherlands, China and Germany have analyzed data from 471 independent research that covered the period since 1968. In total, more than 2.3 million people - children, adolescents and adults - from different countries, such as China, USA, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, Sweden and Australia, have been analyzed.
The study focused on the influence of social class (income and education) on "prosocial" behavior, that is, actions aimed at helping others, such as donations, volunteering or animal care. Although the results have shown that people with higher income have a slightly higher level of empathy and kindness to others, this difference was statistically significant but not extremely large.
This refutes the traditional opinion that less wealthy people are automatically more kind or ready for self -sacrifice. However, researchers say that different countries and socio-cultural contexts cannot be directly compared, since in every society social factors can influence behavior differently.
This study emphasizes that social and economic conditions significantly affect human behavior. In particular, a high level of well -being and education can contribute to a higher level of empathy, which is confirmed by the results of the study. Higher income gives a person more opportunities for social contacts, participation in charitable initiatives and assistance to others, which may be one of the reasons for increased kindness.
The results of this study show that social stereotypes about the kindness and generosity of low income people are not always correct. It turns out that human behavior depends not only on its financial situation, but also on many other factors, such as education, cultural norms and the level of education. Therefore, general conclusions cannot be drawn based on the level of income of one person or group.
