Abstract
Who is more likely to experience compassion: someone who is rich or someone who is poor? In this chapter, we review how psychological science can shed light on this question. We argue that social class differences in objective material resources (e.g., income) and corresponding subjective perceptions of rank produce self- versus other-oriented patterns of social cognition and behavior among upper- and lower-class individuals, respectively. Extending this framework to the domain of compassion, empirical studies find that individuals from lower social class backgrounds are more prone to feelings of compassion and more likely to behave in ways that are compassionate, including sharing with, caring for, and helping others, relative to individuals from higher social class backgrounds. We describe boundary conditions and mitigating factors to the class–compassion gap, and conclude by outlining important questions and lines of inquiry to guide future research.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
