[browseatwork]

Some studies showing effects of higher wealth on people below. Not perfect, and e.g. the simple correlation between unethical and law breaking is naive, but it's some data.

tl;dr: "Abtract: Seven studies using experimental and naturalistic methods reveal that upper-class individuals behave more unethically than lower-class individuals. In studies 1 and 2, upper-class individuals were more likely to break the law while driving, relative to lower-class individuals. In follow-up laboratory studies, upper-class individuals were more likely to exhibit unethical decision-making tendencies (study 3), take valued goods from others (study 4), lie in a negotiation (study 5), cheat to increase their chances of winning a prize (study 6), and endorse unethical behavior at work (study 7) than were lower-class individuals. Mediator and moderator data demonstrated that upper-class individuals’ unethical tendencies are accounted for, in part, by their more favorable attitudes toward greed."

http://www.pnas.org/content/109/11/4086.short

One weird thing- these and some other studies I have read support poorer people have more empathy/make more eye contact in conversation and pay more attention to conversation partners/etc. Why then does that group seem on the whole to have more antagonism towards wealthier people (than vice versa)?

[mercer]

> One weird thing- these and some other studies I have read support poorer people have more empathy/make more eye contact in conversation and pay more attention to conversation partners/etc. Why then does that group seem on the whole to have more antagonism towards wealthier people (than vice versa)?

Could be because they have reasons to be angry at the wealthier class as a whole, but do not necessarily apply this on an interpersonal level. It reminds me of the experiments done where a wallet left on the streets is returned more often in poorer areas of town than in richer areas.

I suppose it makes sense. The poorer you are, the more dependent you are on the people around you, and the worse your experiences, the easier it might be to empathize with others (as you 'know' what it is like). On the other hand, the richer you are, the easier it is to get what you want or need without relying on others, and the more difficult it is to empathize with the plight of the 'common man'.