Good-economy perceptions intensified powerlessness among financially strained workers

What the study found: The study found support for the meritocratic attribution hypothesis in both the United States and Canada. Among people experiencing financial strain, perceiving the economy as good was linked to higher powerlessness than perceiving it as poor or fair.

Why the authors say this matters: The authors suggest that perceptions of the broader economy shape how personal financial strain relates to powerlessness. They conclude that a good economy may intensify, rather than reduce, feelings of powerlessness among financially struggling workers.

What the researchers tested: The researchers tested four hypotheses about how views of the economy moderate the link between financial strain and powerlessness. They used two nationally representative samples of workers collected in late 2023: 2,466 American workers and 2,501 Canadian workers.

What worked and what didn't: The meritocratic attribution hypothesis was supported in both countries. The positive association between financial strain and powerlessness was stronger among those who perceived the economy as good, while there was no evidence that perceiving a poor economy weakened that association relative to perceiving a fair economy.

What to keep in mind: The abstract does not describe additional limitations beyond the sample and time frame noted above. The findings are based on workers in the United States and Canada surveyed in late 2023.

Key points

• The study found support for the meritocratic attribution hypothesis in both the United States and Canada.
• Financial strain was associated with more powerlessness when workers perceived the economy as good.
• Perceiving the economy as poor did not weaken the strain-powerlessness link relative to perceiving it as fair.
• The analysis used nationally representative samples of 2,466 American workers and 2,501 Canadian workers.
• The data were collected in late 2023.