Mind the Gap: Perceived Economic Inequality and the Well-Being Gap around the Globe

Ángel SÁNCHEZ-RODRÍGUEZ; Maciej GÓRSKI; Mohsen JOSHANLOO; Kuba KRYS; Man Wai Liman LI; Morten TØNNESSEN; Plamen AKALIYSKI; Brian W.  HAAS; M. Azhar HUSSAIN; Farida GUEMAZ; Mahmoud BOUSSENA; Nuha ITER; Olha VLASENKO; Vivian Miu-Chi LUN; Vivian L. VIGNOLES; Nur Amali AMINNUDDIN; İdil IŞIK; Laina NGOM-DIENG; Márta FÜLÖP; David O. IGBOKWE; Mladen ADAMOVIC; Ragna Benedikta GARÐARSDÓTTIR; Natalia SOBOLEVA; Julien TEYSSIER; Fumiko Kano GLÜCKSTAD; Joonha PARK; John ZELENSKI; Wai Lan Victoria YEUNG; June Chun YEUNG; Eric Kenson YAU; Jae-Won YANG; Belkacem YAKHLEF; Cai XING; Arkadiusz WASIEL; Christin-Melanie VAUCLAIR; Wijnand VAN TILBURG; Vladimir TURJAČANIN; Tra Thi Thanh KIEU; Claudio TORRES; Chien-Ru SUN; Boris SOKOLOV; Rosita SOBHIE; David SIRLOPÚ; Heyla A. SELIM; Ana Maria ROCHA; Muhammad RIZWAN; Iva POLÁČKOVÁ ŠOLCOVÁ; Zoran PAVLOVIĆ; Ewa PALIKOT; Mateusz OLECHOWSKI; Ayu OKVITAWANLI; Danielle OCHOA; Karolina NOWAK; Martin NADER; Katarzyna MYŚLIŃSKA-SZAREK; Elke MURDOCK; Oriana MOSCA; Magdalena MOSANYA; Fatma MOKADEM; Linda MOHAMMED; Arina MALYONOVA; Alexander MALYONOV; Hannah LEE; Mary Anne LAURI; Nicole KRONBERGER; Agata KOCIMSKA-BORTNOWSKA; Maria KLUZOWICZ; Natalia KASCAKOVA; Mostak Ahamed IMRAN; Eric Raymond IGOU; Katharina HENK; Rafail HASANOV; Biljana GJONESKA; Alin GAVRELIUC; Magdalena GARVANOVA; Vladimer GAMSAKHURDIA; Agustín ESPINOSA; Alejandra DOMINGUEZ-ESPINOSA; Jule DELTOUR; Vlad COSTIN; Aidos BOLATOV; Arno BALTIN; Rasmata BAKYONO-NABALOUM; Resham ASIF; Lily APPOH; Petra ANIĆ; Laura  ANDRADE; Anna ALMAKAEVA; Marwan AL-ZOUBI; Grace AKELLO; Michael Harris BOND

doi:10.1177/19485506251345937

Mind the Gap: Perceived Economic Inequality and the Well-Being Gap around the Globe

Ángel SÁNCHEZ-RODRÍGUEZ^*
, Maciej GÓRSKI
, Mohsen JOSHANLOO
, Kuba KRYS
, Man Wai Liman LI
, Morten TØNNESSEN
, Plamen AKALIYSKI
, Brian W. HAAS
, M. Azhar HUSSAIN
, Farida GUEMAZ
, Mahmoud BOUSSENA
, Nuha ITER
, Olha VLASENKO
, Vivian Miu-Chi LUN
, Vivian L. VIGNOLES
, Nur Amali AMINNUDDIN
, İdil IŞIK
, Laina NGOM-DIENG
, Márta FÜLÖP
, David O. IGBOKWE

Mladen ADAMOVIC, Ragna Benedikta GARÐARSDÓTTIR, Natalia SOBOLEVA, Julien TEYSSIER, Fumiko Kano GLÜCKSTAD, Joonha PARK, John ZELENSKI, Wai Lan Victoria YEUNG, June Chun YEUNG, Eric Kenson YAU, Jae-Won YANG, Belkacem YAKHLEF, Cai XING, Arkadiusz WASIEL, Christin-Melanie VAUCLAIR, Wijnand VAN TILBURG, Vladimir TURJAČANIN, Tra Thi Thanh KIEU, Claudio TORRES, Chien-Ru SUN, Boris SOKOLOV, Rosita SOBHIE, David SIRLOPÚ, Heyla A. SELIM, Ana Maria ROCHA, Muhammad RIZWAN, Iva POLÁČKOVÁ ŠOLCOVÁ, Zoran PAVLOVIĆ, Ewa PALIKOT, Mateusz OLECHOWSKI, Ayu OKVITAWANLI, Danielle OCHOA, Karolina NOWAK, Martin NADER, Katarzyna MYŚLIŃSKA-SZAREK, Elke MURDOCK, Oriana MOSCA, Magdalena MOSANYA, Fatma MOKADEM, Linda MOHAMMED, Arina MALYONOVA, Alexander MALYONOV, Hannah LEE, Mary Anne LAURI, Nicole KRONBERGER, Agata KOCIMSKA-BORTNOWSKA, Maria KLUZOWICZ, Natalia KASCAKOVA, Mostak Ahamed IMRAN, Eric Raymond IGOU, Katharina HENK, Rafail HASANOV, Biljana GJONESKA, Alin GAVRELIUC, Magdalena GARVANOVA, Vladimer GAMSAKHURDIA, Agustín ESPINOSA, Alejandra DOMINGUEZ-ESPINOSA, Jule DELTOUR, Vlad COSTIN, Aidos BOLATOV, Arno BALTIN, Rasmata BAKYONO-NABALOUM, Resham ASIF, Lily APPOH, Petra ANIĆ, Laura ANDRADE, Anna ALMAKAEVA, Marwan AL-ZOUBI, Grace AKELLO, Michael Harris BOND

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed) › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The link between economic inequality and individual well-being has been gaining increasing research attention. This study examines this relationship using data from 71 countries with diverse national incomes, addressing three key research gaps: (1) incorporating measures of both perceived and objective economic inequality, (2) extending analysis to multiple components of well-being beyond happiness, including meaning in life, harmony, and spirituality, and (3) assessing levels of both current and ideal well-being. Findings reveal that perceived economic inequality predicts personal well-being more strongly than objective inequality. In addition, perceived inequality is associated with a wider gap between current and ideal levels of happiness, meaning, harmony, and spirituality, although national income moderates the effects of meaning, harmony, and spirituality. We discuss the implications of these results, highlighting the need for more culturally sensitive studies on perceived economic inequality and well-being.

Original language	English
Article number	19485506251345937
Pages (from-to)	383-399
Number of pages	17
Journal	Social Psychological and Personality Science
Volume	17
Issue number	3
Early online date	14 Jul 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506251345937
Publication status	Published - Apr 2026

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The present research was financially supported by Polish National Science Center Poland under grant 2020/37/B/HS6/03142 and by Grant PID2023-151771NA-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. It was also financially support by NPO “Systemic Risk Institute” Grant LX22NPO5101 funded by the European Union–Next Generation EU (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, NPO: EXCELES), Mediated Society (MEDIS: ON) CZ.02.01.01/00/23_025/0008713”, “Social-Cultural Determinants of Circulation of Representations (COREMind) CZ.02.01.01/00/23_025/0008715“ co-financed by the European Union, Czechia, the National Research and Develpment Fund (NKFIH-OTKA-K 135963) of Hungary, and the HSE University Basic Research Program.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 1 No Poverty
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities

Keywords

national income
perceived economic inequality
components of well-being
happiness
meaning
harmony
spirituality

Access to Document

10.1177/19485506251345937

Cite this

SÁNCHEZ-RODRÍGUEZ, Á., GÓRSKI, M., JOSHANLOO, M., KRYS, K., LI, M. W. L., TØNNESSEN, M., AKALIYSKI, P., HAAS, B. W., HUSSAIN, M. A., GUEMAZ, F., BOUSSENA, M., ITER, N., VLASENKO, O., LUN, V. M.-C., VIGNOLES, V. L., AMINNUDDIN, N. A., IŞIK, İ., NGOM-DIENG, L., FÜLÖP, M., ... BOND, M. H. (2026). Mind the Gap: Perceived Economic Inequality and the Well-Being Gap around the Globe. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 17(3), 383-399. Article 19485506251345937. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506251345937

@article{501316e7b22e4415b03b343f2a9f51df,

title = "Mind the Gap: Perceived Economic Inequality and the Well-Being Gap around the Globe",

abstract = "The link between economic inequality and individual well-being has been gaining increasing research attention. This study examines this relationship using data from 71 countries with diverse national incomes, addressing three key research gaps: (1) incorporating measures of both perceived and objective economic inequality, (2) extending analysis to multiple components of well-being beyond happiness, including meaning in life, harmony, and spirituality, and (3) assessing levels of both current and ideal well-being. Findings reveal that perceived economic inequality predicts personal well-being more strongly than objective inequality. In addition, perceived inequality is associated with a wider gap between current and ideal levels of happiness, meaning, harmony, and spirituality, although national income moderates the effects of meaning, harmony, and spirituality. We discuss the implications of these results, highlighting the need for more culturally sensitive studies on perceived economic inequality and well-being.",

keywords = "national income, perceived economic inequality, components of well-being, happiness, meaning, harmony, spirituality",

author = "{\'A}ngel S{\'A}NCHEZ-RODR{\'I}GUEZ and Maciej G{\'O}RSKI and Mohsen JOSHANLOO and Kuba KRYS and LI, \{Man Wai Liman\} and Morten T{\O}NNESSEN and Plamen AKALIYSKI and HAAS, \{Brian W.\} and HUSSAIN, \{M. Azhar\} and Farida GUEMAZ and Mahmoud BOUSSENA and Nuha ITER and Olha VLASENKO and LUN, \{Vivian Miu-Chi\} and VIGNOLES, \{Vivian L.\} and AMINNUDDIN, \{Nur Amali\} and İdil I{\c S}IK and Laina NGOM-DIENG and M{\'a}rta F{\"U}L{\"O}P and IGBOKWE, \{David O.\} and Mladen ADAMOVIC and GAR{\DH}ARSD{\'O}TTIR, \{Ragna Benedikta\} and Natalia SOBOLEVA and Julien TEYSSIER and GL{\"U}CKSTAD, \{Fumiko Kano\} and Joonha PARK and John ZELENSKI and YEUNG, \{Wai Lan Victoria\} and YEUNG, \{June Chun\} and YAU, \{Eric Kenson\} and Jae-Won YANG and Belkacem YAKHLEF and Cai XING and Arkadiusz WASIEL and Christin-Melanie VAUCLAIR and \{VAN TILBURG\}, Wijnand and Vladimir TURJA{\v C}ANIN and KIEU, \{Tra Thi Thanh\} and Claudio TORRES and Chien-Ru SUN and Boris SOKOLOV and Rosita SOBHIE and David SIRLOP{\'U} and SELIM, \{Heyla A.\} and ROCHA, \{Ana Maria\} and Muhammad RIZWAN and \{POL{\'A}{\v C}KOV{\'A} {\v S}OLCOV{\'A}\}, Iva and Zoran PAVLOVI{\'C} and Ewa PALIKOT and Mateusz OLECHOWSKI and Ayu OKVITAWANLI and Danielle OCHOA and Karolina NOWAK and Martin NADER and Katarzyna MY{\'S}LI{\'N}SKA-SZAREK and Elke MURDOCK and Oriana MOSCA and Magdalena MOSANYA and Fatma MOKADEM and Linda MOHAMMED and Arina MALYONOVA and Alexander MALYONOV and Hannah LEE and LAURI, \{Mary Anne\} and Nicole KRONBERGER and Agata KOCIMSKA-BORTNOWSKA and Maria KLUZOWICZ and Natalia KASCAKOVA and IMRAN, \{Mostak Ahamed\} and IGOU, \{Eric Raymond\} and Katharina HENK and Rafail HASANOV and Biljana GJONESKA and Alin GAVRELIUC and Magdalena GARVANOVA and Vladimer GAMSAKHURDIA and Agust{\'i}n ESPINOSA and Alejandra DOMINGUEZ-ESPINOSA and Jule DELTOUR and Vlad COSTIN and Aidos BOLATOV and Arno BALTIN and Rasmata BAKYONO-NABALOUM and Resham ASIF and Lily APPOH and Petra ANI{\'C} and Laura ANDRADE and Anna ALMAKAEVA and Marwan AL-ZOUBI and Grace AKELLO and BOND, \{Michael Harris\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025",

year = "2026",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1177/19485506251345937",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

pages = "383--399",

journal = "Social Psychological and Personality Science",

issn = "1948-5506",

publisher = "Sage Periodicals Press",

number = "3",

}

SÁNCHEZ-RODRÍGUEZ, Á, GÓRSKI, M, JOSHANLOO, M, KRYS, K, LI, MWL, TØNNESSEN, M, AKALIYSKI, P, HAAS, BW, HUSSAIN, MA, GUEMAZ, F, BOUSSENA, M, ITER, N, VLASENKO, O, LUN, VM-C, VIGNOLES, VL, AMINNUDDIN, NA, IŞIK, İ, NGOM-DIENG, L, FÜLÖP, M, IGBOKWE, DO, ADAMOVIC, M, GARÐARSDÓTTIR, RB, SOBOLEVA, N, TEYSSIER, J, GLÜCKSTAD, FK, PARK, J, ZELENSKI, J, YEUNG, WLV, YEUNG, JC, YAU, EK, YANG, J-W, YAKHLEF, B, XING, C, WASIEL, A, VAUCLAIR, C-M, VAN TILBURG, W, TURJAČANIN, V, KIEU, TTT, TORRES, C, SUN, C-R, SOKOLOV, B, SOBHIE, R, SIRLOPÚ, D, SELIM, HA, ROCHA, AM, RIZWAN, M, POLÁČKOVÁ ŠOLCOVÁ, I, PAVLOVIĆ, Z, PALIKOT, E, OLECHOWSKI, M, OKVITAWANLI, A, OCHOA, D, NOWAK, K, NADER, M, MYŚLIŃSKA-SZAREK, K, MURDOCK, E, MOSCA, O, MOSANYA, M, MOKADEM, F, MOHAMMED, L, MALYONOVA, A, MALYONOV, A, LEE, H, LAURI, MA, KRONBERGER, N, KOCIMSKA-BORTNOWSKA, A, KLUZOWICZ, M, KASCAKOVA, N, IMRAN, MA, IGOU, ER, HENK, K, HASANOV, R, GJONESKA, B, GAVRELIUC, A, GARVANOVA, M, GAMSAKHURDIA, V, ESPINOSA, A, DOMINGUEZ-ESPINOSA, A, DELTOUR, J, COSTIN, V, BOLATOV, A, BALTIN, A, BAKYONO-NABALOUM, R, ASIF, R, APPOH, L, ANIĆ, P, ANDRADE, L, ALMAKAEVA, A, AL-ZOUBI, M, AKELLO, G & BOND, MH 2026, 'Mind the Gap: Perceived Economic Inequality and the Well-Being Gap around the Globe', Social Psychological and Personality Science, vol. 17, no. 3, 19485506251345937, pp. 383-399. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506251345937

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mind the Gap: Perceived Economic Inequality and the Well-Being Gap around the Globe

AU - SÁNCHEZ-RODRÍGUEZ, Ángel

AU - GÓRSKI, Maciej

AU - JOSHANLOO, Mohsen

AU - KRYS, Kuba

AU - LI, Man Wai Liman

AU - TØNNESSEN, Morten

AU - AKALIYSKI, Plamen

AU - HAAS, Brian W.

AU - HUSSAIN, M. Azhar

AU - GUEMAZ, Farida

AU - BOUSSENA, Mahmoud

AU - ITER, Nuha

AU - VLASENKO, Olha

AU - LUN, Vivian Miu-Chi

AU - VIGNOLES, Vivian L.

AU - AMINNUDDIN, Nur Amali

AU - IŞIK, İdil

AU - NGOM-DIENG, Laina

AU - FÜLÖP, Márta

AU - IGBOKWE, David O.

AU - ADAMOVIC, Mladen

AU - GARÐARSDÓTTIR, Ragna Benedikta

AU - SOBOLEVA, Natalia

AU - TEYSSIER, Julien

AU - GLÜCKSTAD, Fumiko Kano

AU - PARK, Joonha

AU - ZELENSKI, John

AU - YEUNG, Wai Lan Victoria

AU - YEUNG, June Chun

AU - YAU, Eric Kenson

AU - YANG, Jae-Won

AU - YAKHLEF, Belkacem

AU - XING, Cai

AU - WASIEL, Arkadiusz

AU - VAUCLAIR, Christin-Melanie

AU - VAN TILBURG, Wijnand

AU - TURJAČANIN, Vladimir

AU - KIEU, Tra Thi Thanh

AU - TORRES, Claudio

AU - SUN, Chien-Ru

AU - SOKOLOV, Boris

AU - SOBHIE, Rosita

AU - SIRLOPÚ, David

AU - SELIM, Heyla A.

AU - ROCHA, Ana Maria

AU - RIZWAN, Muhammad

AU - POLÁČKOVÁ ŠOLCOVÁ, Iva

AU - PAVLOVIĆ, Zoran

AU - PALIKOT, Ewa

AU - OLECHOWSKI, Mateusz

AU - OKVITAWANLI, Ayu

AU - OCHOA, Danielle

AU - NOWAK, Karolina

AU - NADER, Martin

AU - MYŚLIŃSKA-SZAREK, Katarzyna

AU - MURDOCK, Elke

AU - MOSCA, Oriana

AU - MOSANYA, Magdalena

AU - MOKADEM, Fatma

AU - MOHAMMED, Linda

AU - MALYONOVA, Arina

AU - MALYONOV, Alexander

AU - LEE, Hannah

AU - LAURI, Mary Anne

AU - KRONBERGER, Nicole

AU - KOCIMSKA-BORTNOWSKA, Agata

AU - KLUZOWICZ, Maria

AU - KASCAKOVA, Natalia

AU - IMRAN, Mostak Ahamed

AU - IGOU, Eric Raymond

AU - HENK, Katharina

AU - HASANOV, Rafail

AU - GJONESKA, Biljana

AU - GAVRELIUC, Alin

AU - GARVANOVA, Magdalena

AU - GAMSAKHURDIA, Vladimer

AU - ESPINOSA, Agustín

AU - DOMINGUEZ-ESPINOSA, Alejandra

AU - DELTOUR, Jule

AU - COSTIN, Vlad

AU - BOLATOV, Aidos

AU - BALTIN, Arno

AU - BAKYONO-NABALOUM, Rasmata

AU - ASIF, Resham

AU - APPOH, Lily

AU - ANIĆ, Petra

AU - ANDRADE, Laura

AU - ALMAKAEVA, Anna

AU - AL-ZOUBI, Marwan

AU - AKELLO, Grace

AU - BOND, Michael Harris

PY - 2026/4

Y1 - 2026/4

N2 - The link between economic inequality and individual well-being has been gaining increasing research attention. This study examines this relationship using data from 71 countries with diverse national incomes, addressing three key research gaps: (1) incorporating measures of both perceived and objective economic inequality, (2) extending analysis to multiple components of well-being beyond happiness, including meaning in life, harmony, and spirituality, and (3) assessing levels of both current and ideal well-being. Findings reveal that perceived economic inequality predicts personal well-being more strongly than objective inequality. In addition, perceived inequality is associated with a wider gap between current and ideal levels of happiness, meaning, harmony, and spirituality, although national income moderates the effects of meaning, harmony, and spirituality. We discuss the implications of these results, highlighting the need for more culturally sensitive studies on perceived economic inequality and well-being.

AB - The link between economic inequality and individual well-being has been gaining increasing research attention. This study examines this relationship using data from 71 countries with diverse national incomes, addressing three key research gaps: (1) incorporating measures of both perceived and objective economic inequality, (2) extending analysis to multiple components of well-being beyond happiness, including meaning in life, harmony, and spirituality, and (3) assessing levels of both current and ideal well-being. Findings reveal that perceived economic inequality predicts personal well-being more strongly than objective inequality. In addition, perceived inequality is associated with a wider gap between current and ideal levels of happiness, meaning, harmony, and spirituality, although national income moderates the effects of meaning, harmony, and spirituality. We discuss the implications of these results, highlighting the need for more culturally sensitive studies on perceived economic inequality and well-being.

KW - national income

KW - perceived economic inequality

KW - components of well-being

KW - happiness

KW - meaning

KW - harmony

KW - spirituality

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105012731251

U2 - 10.1177/19485506251345937

DO - 10.1177/19485506251345937

M3 - Journal Article (refereed)

SN - 1948-5506

VL - 17

SP - 383

EP - 399

JO - Social Psychological and Personality Science

JF - Social Psychological and Personality Science

IS - 3

M1 - 19485506251345937

ER -

Mind the Gap: Perceived Economic Inequality and the Well-Being Gap around the Globe

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this