Measuring Subjective Inequality: Development and Validation of the Perceived Economic Inequality Scale (PEIS)

The main goal of the present research is to develop and validate the Perceived Economic Inequality Scale (PEIS), an instrument measuring individuals’ perceptions of economic inequality at the national level. The study was conducted on a representative sample of the Italian population (N = 1,446, 51%...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Spanish journal of psychology 2024-02, Vol.27, p.e2-e2, Article e2
Main Authors: Valtorta, Roberta Rosa, Vezzoli, Michela, Mari, Silvia, Durante, Federica, Volpato, Chiara
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bias
Confirmatory factor analysis
Correlation analysis
Dominance
Economic inequality
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Female
Humans
Income distribution
Income inequality
Justification
Male
Methodology and Psychometrics
Motivation
Perceptions
Political attitudes
Polls & surveys
Psychometrics
Quantitative psychology
Reproducibility of Results
Society
Sociodemographics
Surveys and Questionnaires
Wage differential
Women
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Summary:The main goal of the present research is to develop and validate the Perceived Economic Inequality Scale (PEIS), an instrument measuring individuals’ perceptions of economic inequality at the national level. The study was conducted on a representative sample of the Italian population (N = 1,446, 51% women). The factorial structure of the scale was assessed through cross-validated exploratory-confirmatory factor analyses. To inspect the PEIS psychometric properties, item and correlation analyses were performed. The results showed that the PEIS is a valid and reliable unidimensional measure of perceived economic inequality at the national level. Further support of the PEIS construct validity was provided by the correlation of the scale score with the perceived wage gap and ideological beliefs like the economic system justification, social dominance orientation, meritocratic beliefs, and participants’ political orientation. Crucially, multigroup confirmatory factor analysis supported configural, metric, and scalar invariances of the scale across socio-demographic groups. The PEIS allows researchers to assess the subjective component of economic inequality by also serving as a useful tool for unpacking the psychological correlates of perceived inequality.
ISSN:1138-7416
1988-2904
DOI:10.1017/SJP.2024.4