Predictors of Perceived Scarcity: The Impact of Demographic Factors, Objective Socioeconomic Status, and Subjective Social Status

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Dillon-Owens, C. (2022). Predictors of Perceived Scarcity: The Impact of Demographic Factors, Objective Socioeconomic Status, and Subjective Social Status. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

Perceived scarcity is a relatively new construct conceptualized to be a subjective indicator of perceived resource availability that captures factors previously unaccounted for by traditional, objective indicators of socioeconomic status (SES). Like the Subjective Social Status Scale (SSS), the Perceived Scarcity Scale (PScS) is a subjective measure that has been shown to account for unique variance when predicting health outcomes, as compared to measures such as income and education. Despite scarcity’s linkages to SES and health outcomes, little is known about perceived scarcity’s relationships with individual difference characteristics. The current study furthers the development of this measure by using multiple regression/correlation analyses to examine the demographic and objective SES factors influencing perceived scarcity and explore how perceived scarcity is related to SSS. Findings indicate that age, income, and proximal SSS are important predictors of scarcity across different types of samples. Mixed findings regarding race, gender, education, and distal SSS indicate the need for further research and exploration of moderated models. These results begin to elaborate how perceived scarcity is situated within the nomological network of SES indicators and clarify construct distinctiveness.

Details
Author

Dillon-Owens, Cody

Title

Predictors of Perceived Scarcity: The Impact of Demographic Factors, Objective Socioeconomic Status, and Subjective Social Status

Physical Description

1 online resource (103 pages) : PDF

Date

2022

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

Perceived scarcity is a relatively new construct conceptualized to be a subjective indicator of perceived resource availability that captures factors previously unaccounted for by traditional, objective indicators of socioeconomic status (SES). Like the Subjective Social Status Scale (SSS), the Perceived Scarcity Scale (PScS) is a subjective measure that has been shown to account for unique variance when predicting health outcomes, as compared to measures such as income and education. Despite scarcity’s linkages to SES and health outcomes, little is known about perceived scarcity’s relationships with individual difference characteristics. The current study furthers the development of this measure by using multiple regression/correlation analyses to examine the demographic and objective SES factors influencing perceived scarcity and explore how perceived scarcity is related to SSS. Findings indicate that age, income, and proximal SSS are important predictors of scarcity across different types of samples. Mixed findings regarding race, gender, education, and distal SSS indicate the need for further research and exploration of moderated models. These results begin to elaborate how perceived scarcity is situated within the nomological network of SES indicators and clarify construct distinctiveness.

Genre

masters theses

Subjects--Topics

Psychology

Degree

M.A.

Keywords

Material Scarcity
Resources
Scarcity
Socioeconomic Status
Subjective Social Status
Time

Subject Area

Psychology

Advisor(s)

Peterman, Amy

Committee Members

Langhinrichsen-Rohling, Jennifer
Sullivan, Shannon

Degree Note

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2022.

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Rights Holder Information

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Identifier

DillonOwens_uncc_0694N_13107

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:2695