More than money: inequalities that matter
Why do some people accept economic inequality whilst others consider it crucial to reduce it? Although we tend to think that income differences (e.g. who earns more or less money) are a major concern for most people, this is not always the case. In fact, attitudes towards economic inequality often lead to marked political polarisation between different sectors of society. However, when these economic differences translate into inequalities in other areas, such as health or education, the motivation to reduce them changes significantly: now, most people are concerned about income inequality and want to reduce it. This is the main conclusion of a research programme carried out by Francisco Miguel Soler-Martínez (postdoc at Aarhus University, formerly affiliated with CIMCYC), Guillermo B. Willis and Efraín García-Sánchez (researchers at CIMCYC, in the Social Psychology of Inequality Laboratory). The results have recently been published in the European Journal of Social Psychology and Social Psychological and Personality Science, two of the most prestigious scientific journals in social psychology.
More than just an economic gap: a vital gap
The studies are based on a widely documented observation: many people tend to justify pay gaps because they see them as the result of merit or individual effort. However, when we realise that economic disparities translate into inequalities in essential areas such as health and education, we understand that reducing economic inequality is essential to increasing opportunities for everyone.
To illustrate this point, imagine two people living in the same city with a significant difference in their salaries. To many people, this may seem like a ‘normal’ – and perhaps fair – situation. But if those very differences determine whether they can receive medical care or access a quality education, the assessment changes drastically. No one chooses to fall ill or to be born in a neighbourhood lacking schools with sufficient human and material resources. Therefore, when economic differences translate into inequalities in access to healthcare or educational opportunities, the perception of justice shifts significantly. Inequality is no longer seen as a mere question of income but comes to be understood as an inequality that affects life chances and fundamental rights.
The two published articles, which complement one another, reach a clear conclusion: understanding that economic inequality is linked to inequalities in health and education increases support for measures to reduce it, such as supporting redistributive policies or taking part in activities to demand change. To reach this conclusion, the researchers used a combination of surveys, vignette experiments and various informative texts, which allow for a controlled analysis of how perceptions of inequality change when different types of information are introduced.
For example, in one of the studies, participants were shown brief scenarios describing fictional societies with varying levels of economic inequality. In some cases, income differences were accompanied by clear inequalities in access to healthcare or educational opportunities; in others, these areas remained equal. When economic inequalities were accompanied by differences in health or education, people tended to be more opposed to economic inequality, to view it as more unfair, and to be more supportive of redistributive policies (e.g. increasing social spending) or collective action (e.g. taking part in demonstrations) to reduce it.
A path to building social consensus
In a global context where economic inequality continues to grow, these findings offer a clue as to how to foster more constructive debates. Viewing inequality as something that cuts across all aspects of life - taking into account its effects on health and education - rather than merely as differences in income, makes people more willing to seek social change to reduce it.
However, this should not be interpreted to mean that economic inequality is acceptable if inequalities in health or education are reduced. Economic conditions profoundly influence multiple, interconnected areas of people’s lives. Understanding these connections is key to developing collective responses to this social problem.
References
Soler‐Martínez, F. M., García‐Sánchez, E., & Willis, G. B. (2025). Beyond Income Disparities: Perceived Health and Education Inequities Drive Actions to Reduce Economic Inequality. European Journal of Social Psychology, 55(2), 396-415. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.3151
Soler-Martínez, F. M., Willis, G. B., & García-Sánchez, E. (2025). Overlapping Inequalities: Connecting Income Inequality With Health and Education Disparities Motivates Its Reduction. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 16(8), 930-941. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506241306867
Contact at the CIMCYC
Efraín García-Sánchez, CIMCYC (@email)
Guillermo B. Willis, CIMCYC (@email)