PROMOTING POTENTIAL 317reserves. Th is could explain data showing that the poor are likelier than
others to behave in ways that are harmful to health and impede long- term
success—in short, be hav iors that can perpetuate a disadvantaged state.”^43
Th is explains why one of the alleged “weaknesses” of the working
class— failure to delay gratifi cation— may, in a world of uncertain futures,
amount to quite rational be hav ior.^44 As Anuj K. Shah and colleagues sug-
gest, “certain be hav iors stem simply from having less.” Th ey suggest that
scarcity changes how people allocate attention: “It leads them to engage
more deeply in some prob lems while neglecting others... and that can
help to explain be hav iors such as over- borrowing.”^45 Th at may also ex-
plain why average numbers of children in the family decreases with in-
creasing prosperity.
A major issue is that of job security, rarely pressing among the upper
class. Among the lower classes, the prob lem has become worse in recent
years. As Antonio Chirumbola and Alessandra Areni point out, “In the
USA and Eu rope, phenomena such as merging, downsizing and reorga-
nization have turned out to be more and more widespread in the last two
de cades.... Th ese transformations have changed the nature of work and
caused feelings of uncertainty, stress and anxiety for many workers about
the existence and the features of their job.”^46 Claims that IQ tests are valid
mea sures of intelligence because they predict job per for mance have to
be judged against such a background, as explained in chapter 3.
Lack of employment security and pressing debt prob lems, preempt
forward planning or thinking beyond current circumstances. Th ey also
aff ect levels of self- confi dence, stress, motivation, anxiety, and reduce
physical and mental vigor. Th ese all detract from cognitive engagement
in wider society and expressions of personal ability. Surveys regularly
cite lack of confi dence or self- esteem as one of the barriers of escape from
low- pay/no- pay situations. For example, the organ ization Psychologists
against Austerity in the United Kingdom identifi ed fi ve severe conse-
quences of lower social class experiences:
- Humiliation and shame
- Fear and distrust
- Instability and insecurity
- Isolation and loneliness
- Being trapped and powerless
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Tue, 17 Oct 2017 13:58:05 UTC