“The nature of humanity, its essence, is to feel another’s pain as one’s own, and to act to take that pain away. There is nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness.” ~ John Connolly
If you have $100 and I have only $5, which of us is more likely to share our resources with those less fortunate? By all logic, one would expect the greatest generosity from those with the largest discretionary income, meaning funds remaining after deduction of taxes, other mandatory charges, and expenditure on necessary items. It therefore seems reasonable to assume that the rich are more inclined to altruism than the poor.
It might therefore come as a surprise to find that the reverse is often true. One study, from the Journal of Personal Social Psychology, began with the premise that lower socioeconomic status is associated with fewer resources, greater exposure to threat, and a reduced sense of personal control. Given these factors, one might expect these individuals to prioritize self-interest over the welfare of others as they struggled to meet basic human needs.
And yet, the researchers found that the lower income individuals acted with greater generosity and compassion in donating or otherwise sharing with others. The study concluded that these individuals behaved in a more prosocial fashion, defined as behavior which is positive, helpful, and intended to promote friendship, due to a greater commitment to egalitarian values and feelings of compassion. In other words, they may have displayed greater empathy due to their own challenging personal experiences.
Another study, based on an analysis of more than 1,000 donors to 10 British charities ranging in focus from poverty to animal welfare to disaster relief, found that the least well-off give a higher proportion of their income to charity than the wealthy, no matter what their age, class, or beliefs. The study went on to note that those with the lowest incomes gave an average of almost 4.5 percent to good causes, while those earning the most donate donated just over two percent. In the U.S., research has shown the wealthiest Americans donate 1.3 percent of their income while the poorest give 3.2 percent.
One of the conclusions drawn from these studies is that the less affluent may be more compassionate and sensitive to the needs of others based upon their personal experience. Psychologists refer to this way of thinking as a “contextualist tendency,” marked by an external focus on what is going on in one’s own environment and with other people.
On the other hand, researchers found that the affluent are more likely to be self-centered with “solipsistic tendencies,” defined as a form of skepticism which denies the possibility of any knowledge other than of one’s own existence, including goals, motivations, and emotions.
According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, many middle and lower classes individuals may empathize with those in need simply because they can relate with them, having “walked in those shoes.” This true story helps to illustrate the point. A local homeless lady was able to secure a motel room for an extended period, and finally had a sanctuary of solitude, privacy, and personal space after much hardship.
One would imagine that under the circumstances, this woman would guard her little private haven closely for as long as possible. And yet, when she encountered a friend, also a local, college educated women who had fallen on hard times, her immediate impulse was to invite her to share the room, where they are currently residing safely, whether she could contribute financially or not. The second woman, in her 60s, slept for days to replenish her battered system after weeks of miserably cold, sleepless nights on the floor of a local church.
Let’s be clear. By no means should we assume from this research that, as a rule, the rich are selfish, and the poor are generous, as we can find countless examples of wealthy philanthropists and poor misers. That said, this research is provocative, as it runs counter to what many of us might reasonably assume. Perhaps one of our best take-aways here is that no matter what our personal circumstances, empathy and compassion are muscles that are strengthened with use.
It might also be noted that we can cultivate greater empathy towards those less fortunate by learning more about them. In doing so, we find that many of us, faced with similar life challenges, might very well be experiencing the exact same plight through no fault of our own. Compassion rests in that deeper understanding.