Beyond income: How subjective social class shapes well-being through deprivation, control, and system-justifying belief

Jiaqi Zheng¹, Xuanyu Chen^2,*, Changze Wu³
1 School of Humanities, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
2 College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
3 Psychological Research Center, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
* Corresponding Author: Xuanyu Chen. Email: email

Journal of Psychology in Africa https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.079106

Received 14 January 2026; Accepted 05 June 2026; Published online 22 July 2026

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Abstract

This study examined how subjective social class (SSC) is associated with subjective well-being (SWB) through relative deprivation (RD) and sense of control (SoC), and how this process varies by system-justifying belief (SJB). Using a large-scale social survey (Study 1; males = 54.2%; mean age = 52.99 years) and a questionnaire-based survey (Study 2; females = 63.3%; mean age = 29.14 years), the results showed that SSC was positively associated with SWB and exerted a significant indirect effect through a sequential mediation pathway involving RD and SoC. This indirect effect was stronger among individuals with higher levels of SJB. These findings are consistent with perspectives emphasizing social comparison and cognitive adaptation, suggesting that individuals’ subjective perceptions of social hierarchy shape well-being through both deprivation-related and control-related processes. The results highlight the importance of considering SSC and ideological beliefs when understanding social inequality and psychological well-being.