Lay representations of social class: A mixed methods approach to wealth‐based group perceptions and stereotypes

TL;DR

This study explores how ordinary people in Spain perceive social classes based on wealth, revealing that non-wealthy groups are often associated with positive traits while wealthy groups are linked to negative stereotypes.

Contribution

The paper introduces a context-sensitive mixed-methods approach to uncover lay perceptions of social class and their associated stereotypes in Spain.

Findings

Participants identified 2-7 wealth-based groups, which were categorized into five main classes for analysis.

Non-wealthy groups were associated with positive traits, while wealthy groups were linked to negative stereotypes.

Psychometric networks and meta-analyses confirmed that non-wealthy groups are perceived more positively, with some ambivalence.

Abstract

People's perceptions of social classes may differ from scholars' definitions. We used a mixed method, sensitive to context, to examine lay perceptions of social classes in Spain. In Study 1 (N = 90), we conducted qualitative interviews to examine how people spontaneously characterize wealth‐based groups. Participants identified between two and seven groups. We grouped these into five main analytical categories for analytical purposes: poor, lower and working classes, middle classes, upper classes and rich and beyond. These groups were described based on material characteristics, traits and culture. Positive traits were mainly associated with non‐wealthy groups, especially the lower and working classes, while negative traits were associated with wealthy groups. In Studies 2 (N = 251) and 3 (N = 190), we extended these findings quantitatively, showing that positive stereotypes were associated with non‐wealthy groups, whereas negative stereotypes were associated with wealthy groups. Using psychometric networks, non‐wealthy groups were ascribed more positive traits—with some ambivalences—while wealthy groups were mainly described using negative traits. We confirmed this pattern of results through meta‐analyses. These findings highlight the importance of lay perspectives in theoretical frameworks and the need for context‐sensitive approaches in analysing social class representations.

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