Could Being Poor Affect Our Courage, According to Science?

in the literature “The Influence of Mortality and Socioeconomic Status on Risk and Delayed Rewards: A Life History Theory Approach” (The Effect of Mortality and Socioeconomic Status on Risk and Delayed Rewards: A Life History Theory Approach) risk taking behaviors He revealed an important fact about.

This research aims to understand the evolutionary roots of people’s risk-taking and delayed gratification preferences. growing up in poverty It is tried to be determined to what extent it affects their decisions about taking risks.

First, let’s talk about the methodology of the research.

a series experimental study In this research, participants are asked to read publications that do or do not contain death cues (environmental cues that bring to mind individuals’ thoughts about death or the threat of death) and are then asked questions about risk and time preferences.

In this study, in which university students from different socioeconomic backgrounds participated, the total 212 people A sample is considered.

In this regard, participants Past and present economic situationsVariables such as risk preferences (taking risks for a certain amount of money) and temporal discounting (receiving a larger amount of money in the future instead of a smaller amount immediately) are considered.

So what do the findings indicate? Those who had poor childhoods find it logical to take risks for an uncertain future.

The results show that when those who had poor childhoods thought about death or faced death threats, more risk They prefer to buy.

So, bigger but taking risks for uncertain rewards They choose.

However, people who did not experience poverty in their childhood, that is, those who were children of a rich family, face the same death threats. less risk It is stated that they prefer to receive, that is, they choose smaller but certain rewards.

Researchers have found this to be the case when people with poor childhoods tend to take risks for great rewards in an uncertain and dangerous future. finds it more logicalHe interprets that those who come from a wealthy childhood prefer safe and small rewards because their background is more stable and secure.

If it concerns future rewards, the results are much different!

According to the findings of the research, those who had a poor childhood prefer to receive immediate rewards in the face of death threats. That is, by not taking risks, instead of getting a greater reward in the uncertain future. now a smaller reward They choose to buy.

Those who had a wealthy childhood prefer to wait for future rewards in the face of the same threats. So, now instead of a small reward a bigger reward in the future They choose to buy.

Researchers have found this to be the case when people from low-income childhoods experience uncertain futures. living in the moment and interprets it as they prefer to receive rewards immediately.

The comments made by those who came from affluent childhoods are that they prefer to wait for future rewards because they find the future more predictable based on their past experiences. they find more logical It looks like this.

In summary, these findings suggest that one of the important factors shaping people’s risk and reward preferences is socioeconomic conditions during childhood shows that it is.

Of course, as in every research, this research also There may be some restrictions Let us put an end to our content by reminding that it would be more accurate to generalize it within the scope of its own sample.

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