Dr. Angarika Deb successfully defended her doctoral thesis!
The Psychology of Inequality by Angarika Deb
TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2025, 3 P.M. CET|
PRIMARY SUPERVISOR: Christophe Heintz (CEU)
SECONDARY SUPERVISOR: Vlad Naumescu (CEU)
Members of the Dissertation Committee:
Jonathan Kominsky, Chair, CEU
Eleanor Power, External examiner, Associate Professor, LSE Department of Methodology:
Chris von Rueden, External examiner, Associate Professor of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond
Doctoral Advisors:
Nikhil Chaudhury (University of Cambridge)
Harry Walker (London School of Economics and Political Science)
ABSTRACT | Inequality is everywhere in our modern societies—from wealth gaps to unpaid housework—and yet, people can often see these disparities as fair. Why do we accept some inequalities—like gendered inequalities in household division of labour—while rejecting others—like unequal distributions in an economic game with anonymous partners? This thesis explores the psychology behind inequality, judgements of fairness, and how our social environments shape the way we think about these issues.
This thesis challenges universalist models that assume humans have an innate preference for fairness in the form of equity. Instead, it introduces the concept of relational concerns—the idea that norms, obligations and expectations arising out of social relationships and networks—as a key determinant of fairness. While people admittedly have a preference for equality in some contexts, they also adjust their fairness judgments based on power dynamics, and cultural norms about what is “natural” or “appropriate.” A central focus is on the role of outside options—the alternatives available to individuals if a current social or economic arrangement were to break down. I explore how outside options play a role in creating inequalities, and explaining, for example, why women in many societies continue to bear a disproportionate share of unpaid domestic labor while still perceiving the arrangement as just. A key argument is that fairness is not just about objective ideals like equity (rewarding contributions) or equality (ensuring identical shares), but also about coordination. Coordination is key for humans, and often requires people to align expectations; fairness norms can help individuals predict how resources, responsibilities, and benefits will be distributed. In some cases, inequality is perceived as fair because it helps maintain stable cooperation.
Combining evidence from fieldwork with hunter-gatherer societies, controlled experiments, and large-scale survey data, this research investigates fairness judgments in different social and economic contexts. I attempt to connect big-picture inequalities with everyday moral decisions, to understand the causal chains between structural inequalities and cognitive mechanisms. The findings suggest that addressing inequality requires not just redistributing resources, but also shifting the cultural and psychological frameworks that sustain it. Understanding how fairness functions in coordination and bargaining is crucial for designing policies and interventions that promote more equitable societies.
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