What best describes the relationship between socioeconomic status and participation in politics?

Socioeconomic status is hypothesized to be one factor informing political attitudes and actions. Presumably, this relationship is rooted in economic self-interest, with individuals preferring policies that would benefit them financially. In addition, these economic policy preferences are assumed to translate into political action. However, the relationships between socioeconomic status and political attitudes and behavior, as well as the psychological mechanisms associated with those relationships, are not straightforward. Here, we briefly review the current state of knowledge on the relationships between socioeconomic status and political attitudes and behavior. Overall, the research suggests that while socioeconomic status informs political attitudes toward economic policies, these attitudes may not correlate with complementary political behavior.

Socioeconomic status is the social standing or class of an individual or group. It is often measured as a combination of education, income and occupation.

Examinations of socioeconomic status often reveal inequities in access to resources, plus issues related to privilege, power and control.

Adapted from APA’s Socioeconomic Status Office publications