A sociological Analysis of the Factors Affecting social Inequality

Abstract

AbstractInequality is originally based on the differences that the society considers in treating individuals, and thereasons for making such differences lie in factors such as social class, race, ethnicity, sex and religion whichare socially defined. The abstract and mental feelings of the members of the society and their perception ofinequality are more important than the concrete and objective inequality and the important condition for itsemergence is social comparison which brings relative deprivation and the feeling of inequality. This researchaims to analyze the amount of social inequality and the feeling of inequality as well as the factors affectingthem. The present paper is a survey (with regard to controlling the conditions of the research) and also is anexplanatory study. The research population includes all citizens of Isfahan who are 15 years old or above atthe time of the research and the sample includes 696 cases. The data was collected using a questionnaire. Fordata analysis, multi- variable regression and structural equations modeling were used. The results indicatethat the coefficient of determination for social inequalities is R=.61.In addition, based on β value, luxurity,need satisfaction, age, religion, rationality, propaganda and generalized trust affected social inequalityrespectively. Also, the coefficient of determination for the feeling of inequality was R=.69 and based on βvalue, materialistic values, individualism, formal trust, religion, rationality, need satisfaction, social closure,feeling of belonging, luxurity affected the feeling of inequality respectively. In sum, the results indicated thatthe actual level of social inequality is average (2.7) and the feeling of inequality is high (3.2) among theparticipants.*

Keywords

• Key words: social inequality
• feeling of inequality
• social comparison
• social class
• feeling of relative