For years, psychology has believed that people with lower incomes are kinder, more generous, and more compassionate toward others. However, a recent global study of more than 2.3 million people in 60 countries has shown that this assumption is not true. The researchers behind the study found that people with lower incomes are actually less kind and generous toward others.
Researchers say that in social situations where resources are limited, people find it harder to show kindness or compassion to others. When a person has limited access to financial or other resources, their interests often focus on their own survival. This can reduce the ability to think about the needs of others, which is the basis for showing kindness and generosity.
Scientists from the Netherlands, China, and Germany analyzed data from 471 independent studies covering the period since 1968. In total, more than 2.3 million people were analyzed — children, adolescents, and adults — from various countries, such as China, the United States, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, Sweden, and Australia.
The study focused on the impact of social class (income and education) on “prosocial” behavior, that is, actions aimed at helping others, such as donating, volunteering, or caring for animals. And while the results showed that people with higher incomes had slightly higher levels of empathy and kindness towards others, this difference was statistically significant, but not extremely large.
This challenges the traditional view that less affluent people are automatically kinder or more self-sacrificing. However, the researchers note that direct comparisons across countries and sociocultural contexts are not possible, as social factors may influence behavior differently in each society.
This study highlights that social and economic conditions significantly influence human behavior. In particular, high levels of wealth and education can contribute to higher levels of empathy, as confirmed by the results of the study. Higher incomes give a person more opportunities for social contacts, participation in charitable initiatives and helping others, which may be one reason for increased kindness.
The results of this study show that social stereotypes about kindness and generosity of low-income people are not always correct. It turns out that a person's behavior depends not only on their financial situation, but also on many other factors, such as upbringing, cultural norms and level of education. Therefore, it is impossible to draw general conclusions based on the income level of one person or group.
