It’s hard work being poor : how allostatic load models can contribute to understanding system justification theory

Evidence linking poverty with poor mental and physical health outcomes is well documented, but until recently little research has focused on the underlying psychological factors that mediate these relationships. This report represents the first step toward exploring how two emerging theories, allost...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Rarick, Jason David
Format: Others
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2152/ETD-UT-2012-05-5146
Description
Summary:Evidence linking poverty with poor mental and physical health outcomes is well documented, but until recently little research has focused on the underlying psychological factors that mediate these relationships. This report represents the first step toward exploring how two emerging theories, allostatic load and system justification theory, can be harmonized to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that propagate poverty. Specifically, this report addresses the question of how poverty-related stress might moderate the degree to which an impoverished individual is inclined to justify a system that fundamentally does not favor them. Promising future research will be addressed. === text