The Psychology of Inequality: From Poverty to Power (C8898)

15 credits, Level 6

Spring teaching

Economic inequality is at historically high levels and is a pressing social, economic, political and moral issue in many societies. In this module, we will discuss the psychology of inequality.

The module begins by focusing on the consequences of the overall level of economic inequality within a society; first placing the current level in historical context and then discussing its consequences for health and well-being.

We then shift to focusing on the consequences of occupying a specific position within an unequal society by discussing the psychological consequences of social class, education, poverty, wealth and power.

We then discuss the consequences of inequality for groups, including the stereotypes associated with high or low status groups, the psychological processes associated with gender inequality, and the strategies low-status groups use to cope with their position.

Finally, we discuss interventions that have been designed to reduce the negative consequences of inequality. 

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 25 hours of contact time and about 125 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.