TY - JOUR
T1 - Higher in status, (Even) better-than-average
AU - Varnum, Michael E.W.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Varnum.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - In 5 studies (total N = 1357) conducted online using Amazon's MTurk the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the better-than-average effect (BTAE) was tested. Across the studies subjective measures of SES were positively correlated with magnitude of BTAE. Effects of objective measures (income and education) were weaker and less consistent. Measures of childhood SES (both objective and subjective) were positively correlated with BTAE magnitude, though less strongly and less consistently than measures of current subjective SES. Meta-analysis revealed all measures of chronic SES (with the exception of education) were significantly correlated with BTAE. However, manipulations of SES in terms of subjective status (Study 2), power (Study 3), and dominance (Study 4) did not have strong effects on BTAE magnitude (d's ranging from -0.04 to -0.14). Taken together the results suggest that chronic, but not temporary, status may be linked with a stronger tendency to overestimate one's abilities and positive traits.
AB - In 5 studies (total N = 1357) conducted online using Amazon's MTurk the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the better-than-average effect (BTAE) was tested. Across the studies subjective measures of SES were positively correlated with magnitude of BTAE. Effects of objective measures (income and education) were weaker and less consistent. Measures of childhood SES (both objective and subjective) were positively correlated with BTAE magnitude, though less strongly and less consistently than measures of current subjective SES. Meta-analysis revealed all measures of chronic SES (with the exception of education) were significantly correlated with BTAE. However, manipulations of SES in terms of subjective status (Study 2), power (Study 3), and dominance (Study 4) did not have strong effects on BTAE magnitude (d's ranging from -0.04 to -0.14). Taken together the results suggest that chronic, but not temporary, status may be linked with a stronger tendency to overestimate one's abilities and positive traits.
KW - Better-than-average-effect
KW - Illusory superiority
KW - SES
KW - Self-enhancement
KW - Social class
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84930682364&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84930682364&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00496
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00496
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84930682364
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 6
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
IS - APR
M1 - 496
ER -