Poverty hurts your ability to think reasonably: study
Posted August 29, 2013 5:30 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – While many seem to blame the poor for not improving their lives, a new study is out showing it may not actually be their fault.
It shows being poor makes it a lot harder for you to think, reason and remember things that may actually improve your life.
The study finds it consumes so much mental energy that there is little remaining brainpower to concentrate on other areas of life.
“You’re left with less to do other things well so it can hurt you in the long run because you have fewer mind to pay attention to everything from your health, your kids, saving for retirement. You’re distracted and doing less well,” explains Princeton Professor Eldar Shafir who conducted the study in conjunction with UBC.
Shafir compares it to functioning after losing a full night’s sleep.
He says those with few resources are more likely to make bad decisions that perpetuate their financial woes.
Previous accounts of poverty have blamed the poor for their personal failings, or an environment that is not conducive to success, says lead author UBC Professor Jiaying Zhao.
