Does inequality really shape human character? Multilevel evidence from 39 societies

Abstract

Recent research suggests a significant positive correlation between economic inequality and most individual character strengths (20 out of 24). However, such findings derive from country level analyses, risking ecological fallacy when generalized to individuals. Using individual-level data from a cross-country survey of 39,675 participants from 39 societies, combined with country-level data from several international databases, this research conducted a series of multilevel models to examine the association between country-level economic inequality and individual character strengths. The results from multilevel analyses indicated that there is no significant and robust association between economic inequality and individual character strengths, supporting our universality hypothesis of character strengths. In addition, six robustness checks validated the robustness of our main findings. These findings not only clarify cross-level associations between economic inequality and character strengths, but also provide a research foundation for future exploration of the more complex interactions between economic and psychological phenomena.

Plain language summary

Is Economic Inequality Related to Personal Strengths? A Study Across 39 Countries.

Do people’s positive traits—like kindness, honesty, and perseverance—vary depending on how unequal their country is? A recent study suggests that people living in countries with higher economic inequality tend to report stronger personal character traits. However, those findings were based on country-level averages, not individual people’s responses, which can lead to misleading conclusions. In this study, we used survey data from nearly 40,000 people across 39 countries to look at this question more accurately. We analyzed how national levels of economic inequality relate to individual character strengths. By combining personal survey responses with country-level data from international sources, we used statistical models that account for differences within and between countries. Our results showed no strong or consistent link between economic inequality in a country and the personal strengths of individuals who live there. This suggests that character strengths may be more universal and stable across different economic environments than previously thought. We also ran several additional tests to make sure our findings were reliable. This research helps clarify how broad social factors like inequality relate to individual traits. It highlights the importance of looking at personal-level data when trying to understand complex psychological patterns across cultures. Future research can build on these findings to explore how economic and psychological factors interact in more detailed ways.