usatoday24
The human brain comes with a standard “bug”: assume as true what their eyes see. The problem is that What those eyes see And what really happens They do not always coincide. There the cognitive biases arise.
A recent study jointly conducted by economists from the universities of Uppsala (Sweden), George Mason (USA) and University of Toronto, reveals that most people tend to believe that their economic situation is worse of what the data really shows.
According to researchers, this perception not only affects personalbut also influences collective decisions and the way in which public policies for wealth and services are designed.
The tendency to look poorer than you are
Regardless of the income level, most people tends to be located in an immediately lower economic stratum to which it really belongs.
The study data is based on a sample of more than 1,200 people with different income levels. The results show a common pattern in all of them: the perception of income is usually below reality.
Each point shown in the upper graph represents the average perception of the different income percentiles, while the diagonal line represents when the perception of income coincides with reality. That is, those points that are below that diagonal indicate that Income perception is underestimated.
It is striking that the vast majority of points are below that “real line” of perception of income, being the usual norm from the 50th percentile as they highlight in The salmon blogit is statistically impossible.
Interestingly, in the lower percentilesthe majority perception is the opposite, a perception of income greater than the real one.
I’m worse than my neighbor
This phenomenon is explained, in large part, by social comparison. People do not have a clear vision of income distribution, so they evaluate their economic situation based on the closest environment, such as friends, family or co -workers.
In urban areas, where there is a greater concentration of people with middle-income, It is easier to feel than one is below the averagealthough statistical data indicate otherwise.
This distortion is amplified with the effect of social networks and media, which open windows to people with more accommodated living levels, which reinforces that underestimated perception of their own income.
Income perception bias is so common that the OECD has created a toolIn which, answering a series of questions about how the user perceives their economic reality, the tool shows that deviation based on the data that the economic body annually collects in their economic reports.
Nevertheless, A study Made in Germany, he discovered that being aware that this bias is suffered on income does not imply a change in his perception.
Although the study provided precise information to participants about their true position on the global income scale, this correction did not have a significant effect on their support for policies that seek reduce global inequality. That is, even knowing that they are richer than they thought, their willingness to support global redistributive policies did not change relevantly.
Consequences on public policies
When the perception of income is distortedpublic policies can be designed on erroneous assumptions.
If the majority of the population is considered part of the low sectionsthis could generate a Social and fiscal pressure Excessive about the richest, and implement redistributive measures that may not be aimed at people who really need it.
As indicated A report of the Carolina Foundation, not taking into account the subjective perceptions of the distribution of income leads to economic and social policies less effective Already an inadequate allocation of resources.
From the psychological point of view, this erroneous perception cause dissatisfaction generalized and distrust of institutions. Many people feel that they cannot progress, even if the data show that their position is better than they believe.
Image | Pexels (Ahsanjaya, kaboomps.com)
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings