Mind the Gap: Perceived Economic Inequality and the Well-Being Gap around the Globe

The link between economic inequality and individual well-being has been gaining increasing research attention. This study examines this relationship using data from 71 countries with diverse national incomes, addressing three key research gaps: (1) incorporating measures of both perceived and objective economic inequality, (2) extending analysis to multiple components of well-being beyond happiness, including meaning in life, harmony, and spirituality, and (3) assessing levels of both current and ideal well-being. Findings reveal that perceived economic inequality predicts personal well-being more strongly than objective inequality. In addition, perceived inequality is associated with a wider gap between current and ideal levels of happiness, meaning, harmony, and spirituality, although national income moderates the effects of meaning, harmony, and spirituality. We discuss the implications of these results, highlighting the need for more culturally sensitive studies on perceived economic inequality and well-being.

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Journal
Social Psychological and Personality Science
Published
2025-07-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506251345937
Primary Topic
Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Mind the Gap: Perceived Economic Inequality and the Well-Being Gap around the Globe

Eric R. Igou, Marwan Al‐Zoubi, Cláudio Torres, Agata Kocimska‐Bortnowska et al.
Social Psychological and Personality Science
Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
article

Mind the Gap: Perceived Economic Inequality and the Well-Being Gap around the Globe

Eric R. Igou, Marwan Al‐Zoubi, Cláudio Torres, Agata Kocimska‐Bortnowska, Joonha Park, Lily Appoh, Vladimir Turjačanin, Rosita Sobhie, Brian W. Haas, Ayu Okvitawanli, Vivian Miu‐Chi Lun, Nur Amali Aminnuddin, Борис Соколов, Liman Man Wai Li, Christin‐Melanie Vauclair, Michael Harris Bond, Anna Almakaeva, Arno Baltin, Alejandra Domínguez Espinosa, Fumiko Kano Glückstad, Magdalena Mosanya, Petra Anić, David O. Igbokwe, Tra Thi Thanh Kieu, Martín Nader, Ragna B. Garðarsdóttir, Vladimer Lado Gamsakhurdia, Hannah Lee, Natalia Soboleva, Mostak Ahamed Imran, Chien‐Ru Sun, Wijnand A. P. van Tilburg, Vlad Costin, Mary Anne Lauri, Katarzyna Myślińska‐Szarek, Nuha Iter, Ewa Palikot, Julien Teyssier, Heyla A. Selim, Iva Poláčková Šolcová, Victoria Wai Lan Yeung, Olha Vlasenko, June Chun Yeung, Ángel Sánchez‐Rodríguez, Danielle P. Ochoa, Plamen Akaliyski, Oriana Mosca, Vivian L. Vignoles, Alin Gavreliuc, Belkacem Yakhlef, Grace Akello, Agustín Espinosa, Linda Mohammed, Cai Xing, Laura Andrade, Natália Kaščáková, David Sirlopú, Eric Kenson Yau, Mohsen Joshanloo, Mahmoud Boussena, Mladen Adamovic, Biljana Gjoneska, Elke Murdock, Arina Yu. Malenova, Kuba Kryś, Katharina Henk, Morten Tønnessen, Zoran Pavlović, John M. Zelenski, Nicole Kronberger, Farida Guemaz, İ̇dil Işık, Aidos Bolatov, Arkadiusz Wasiel, Resham Asif, Ana Maria Rocha, Muhammad Rizwan, M. Azhar Hussain, Jae‐Won Yang, M. Górski, Márta Fülöp, Mateusz Olechowski, Rasmata Bakyono‐Nabaloum, Maria Kluzowicz, Fatma Mokadem, Alexander Malyonov, Laina Ngom-Dieng, Kaeolina Nowak, Rafail Hasanov, Jule Deltour
article en

Abstract

The link between economic inequality and individual well-being has been gaining increasing research attention. This study examines this relationship using data from 71 countries with diverse national incomes, addressing three key research gaps: (1) incorporating measures of both perceived and objective economic inequality, (2) extending analysis to multiple components of well-being beyond happiness, including meaning in life, harmony, and spirituality, and (3) assessing levels of both current and ideal well-being. Findings reveal that perceived economic inequality predicts personal well-being more strongly than objective inequality. In addition, perceived inequality is associated with a wider gap between current and ideal levels of happiness, meaning, harmony, and spirituality, although national income moderates the effects of meaning, harmony, and spirituality. We discuss the implications of these results, highlighting the need for more culturally sensitive studies on perceived economic inequality and well-being.

Social Psychological and Personality ScienceVol. 17(3)
Tbilisi State University (GE), Roskilde University (DK), University of Essex (GB), University of Jordan (JO), National Research University Higher School of Economics (RU), Sebelas Maret University (ID), Johannes Kepler University of Linz (AT), Bahçeşehir University (TR), Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo (BF), Gulu University (UG), Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK), Universidade de Brasília (BR), University of Rijeka (HR), University of Sussex (GB), Koblenz University of Applied Sciences (DE), University of Iceland (IS), University of Georgia (US), Osnabrück University (DE), University of Cagliari (IT), University of Banja Luka (BA), Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (MK), University of Trinidad and Tobago (TT), Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées (FR), Copenhagen Business School (DK), King's College London (GB), Universidad de Salamanca (ES), University of Luxembourg (LU), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (BN), University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (BG), Tallinn University (EE), Baku State University (AZ), University of Malta (MT), Czech Academy of Sciences (CZ), Universidad Iberoamericana (MX), Kyoto University (JP), University of Limerick (IE), Omsk State University (RU), Palestine Technical University - Kadoorie (PS), Nord University (NO), King Saud University (SA), University of Sharjah (AE), Anton de Kom University of Suriname (SR), West University of Timişoara (RO), San Sebastián University (CL), Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary (HU), Baze University (NG), University Ferhat Abbas of Setif (DZ), University of Belgrade (RS), Education University of Hong Kong (HK), Indiana University Northwest (US), Iscte – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (PT), Sopot University of Applied Science (PL), Institute of Psychology (PL), École Normale Supérieure de Constantine (DZ), Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology (HU), Astana Medical University (KZ), Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Psychology (CZ), Catholic University of Angola (AO), National University of Medical Sciences (PK), Universität Koblenz (DE), University of Warsaw (PL), Keimyung University (KR), BRAC University (BD), Jamia Millia Islamia (IN), Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PE), Carleton University (CA), Palacký University Olomouc (CZ), Icesi University (CO), Renmin University of China (CN), University of the Philippines Diliman (PH), Catholic University of Korea (KR), National Chengchi University (TW), University of Stavanger (NO), Cheikh Anta Diop University (SN)
European Commission, Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Openalex Percentile: Top 80%
Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
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