In recent years, my interest in understanding the psychology of poverty has deepened, especially in exploring how growing up in economically disadvantaged environments affects cognition. The cognitive strain imposed by societal discrimination and hierarchical structures is profound.
Coming from an economically unstable family, I have firsthand experience of how home environments, neighborhoods, and peer groups shape one’s life path. Educational institutions played a crucial role in my journey. In my early schooling, where most students were from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, the absence of a pronounced hierarchy tempered the awareness of poverty despite its pervasive presence.
However, transitioning to high school revealed a stark contrast in class dynamics, highlighting disparities between affluent and less privileged backgrounds. I forged friendships across these divides, often gravitating towards peers from more financially secure backgrounds. These years marked one of the most challenging periods of my life, feeling like an entirely different era.
Subsequently, my bachelor’s degree provided a brief respite after initially missing the first two years due to work commitments. Moving into my master’s program, I found it to be the most enriching phase of my life. This was made possible by supportive friends who never let me forget my modest economic origins and dedicated teachers who guided me through my studies.
During those years, I never questioned society or governments about the persistence of poverty. I accepted it as fate, believing no questions needed asking and no answers would come — success or failure seemed predetermined.
The flawed education system facilitated my progression from one class to another without meaningful learning. It’s hard to believe that I truly learned anything until my PhD and through self-directed reading. My educational background, marred by poverty, did little to steer my path, often excluding me from significant opportunities. Despite having friends, the quality of education was lacking, unlike the superior standards found outside India.
Let’s focus on the psychological factors that can lead one astray.
Cognitive Fluency and Intelligence
Cognitive fluency is intricately tied to our mental architecture, influencing our success in competitive environments. Key functions such as memory, attention, and executive control are crucial for cognitive fluency. Attention, in particular, coordinates memory and action, forming a core component of our mental processes.
However, poverty significantly impairs these cognitive resources. Those in poverty often contend with reduced attentional capacity and memory function, exacerbated by unconscious thoughts about poverty and diminished self-confidence. This weakened executive control contributes to poorer performance. Moreover, poverty reinforces societal hierarchies, leading individuals to feel less deserving, accept unfair treatment, and become socially isolated. This isolation deprives them of opportunities to develop social intelligence, particularly in diverse settings.
A lack of executive control can foster a tendency to catastrophize, causing failures to loom larger than potential successes. This can result in a myopic focus on immediate gains and a failure to envision a distant future. Consequently, individuals may tolerate crime and injustice, coming to believe that luck, rather than effort, dictates success.
