Perceiving economic inequality reduces happiness, according to a study.

A study recently published in the scientific journal Social Psychological and Personality Science delved into the effects that the perception of global economic inequality has on people.

As a result, he points out that awareness of this situation affects our own happiness, meaning of life, harmony, and spiritual well-being.

The study, which combines surveys of more than 21,000 people from 71 countries on all continents with data from macroeconomic indices such as the countries' Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or indices of economic inequality, concludes that perceiving high levels of economic inequality "significantly undermines" individual well-being in multiple dimensions of human development.

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The research, conducted by an international team of scientists led by Ángel Sánchez-Rodríguez, Professor of Social Psychology and Anthropology at the University of Salamanca in Spain, offers crucial insights into how awareness of economic disparity affects not only happiness, but also harmony, meaning in life, and spirituality.

The study shows that when people are aware of the significant economic disparities that exist in their society, this negatively affects their overall well-being and widens the gap between how they currently feel and how they aspire to feel.

"This study helps us understand that the high levels of economic inequality observed in many countries are not only a matter of social justice, but also a pressing public welfare issue." , explains Sánchez-Rodríguez in statements to EFE.

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"One of the advances this study has made compared to previous literature is that, until now, when measuring structural economic inequality based on economic values and relating it to well-being, sometimes a positive relationship was observed, sometimes a negative one, and sometimes no relationship at all. However, by incorporating perception into our work, we have clearly seen that perceiving high levels of economic inequality is associated with lower well-being," he notes.

The study also stands out for its culturally sensitive approach to measuring well-being, including new parameters such as meaning in life, harmony, and spirituality, dimensions that can be especially important in non-Western cultures.

This comprehensive approach shows that perceived inequality affects multiple aspects of human development, not just emotional satisfaction.

"The greater the economic inequality perceived by those around them, the lower their overall well-being," the researcher summarizes.

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Furthermore, the research takes into account current global challenges: "How people react to one of the most urgent global challenges: the growing gap between rich and poor" , an issue that has been recognized by international organizations such as the United Nations, which identify reducing inequality as a key objective for building a more sustainable and just society."

For researchers, reducing awareness of inequality isn't the solution; rather, addressing inequality itself is a viable strategy to correct it. "That's true, it's a viable strategy for improving well-being," says Sánchez-Rodríguez.

Objective economic inequality, which reflects real disparities in living conditions, "is the underlying problem."

The study concludes that economic inequality represents not only a political challenge, but a fundamental threat to human well-being.

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