The Behavioral Economics of Inequality: How Subjective Perceptions of Poverty Shape Irrational Economic Behavior and Perpetuate Socioeconomic Stagnation

This article examines the influence of the subjective experience of poverty on individuals' economic decisions using a behavioral economics perspective. It is shown that the perception of oneself as poor triggers a complex set of cognitive and emotional mechanisms (cognitive overload, learned helplessness, hyperbolic discounting) that provoke impulsive consumption, a refusal to save, and a reluctance to invest in human capital. Based on an analysis of empirical data and theoretical models, it is demonstrated that these behavioral patterns create a self-perpetuating poverty trap, reducing social mobility and hindering economic growth. Social policy approaches are proposed that take into account the behavioral constraints of low-income groups.