Premium
Making Sense of Class: A Commentary on Lott
Author(s) -
Keefer Lucas A.,
Goode Chris
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
analyses of social issues and public policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.479
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1530-2415
pISSN - 1529-7489
DOI - 10.1111/asap.12114
Subject(s) - status quo , class (philosophy) , capitalism , social class , social psychology , psychology , inequality , perception , sociology , new class , positive economics , epistemology , political science , law , economics , mathematics , philosophy , mathematical analysis , neuroscience , politics
While Lott's commentary rightly calls for greater attention to the consequences of capitalism, we offer further discussion of one important issue: the psychological study of social class. This work has predominantly focused on the psychological consequences of class itself by studying the ways that objective and subjective status differences influence thought and behavior. We call for a broader approach that further acknowledges the psychology of class perceptions and beliefs, one means of legitimizing (or challenging) inequality under capitalism. The role of class beliefs as a justification of, or challenge to, the status quo presents an important area for future research. (100/100)