{"id":25131,"date":"2025-08-14T10:41:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T17:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?p=25131"},"modified":"2026-03-04T17:09:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T01:09:34","slug":"what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/","title":{"rendered":"What we really think about the ultra-wealthy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n                                          \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4-1920x1080.jpg 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Illustration of a piece of currency adorned with angel wings and a halo and a devil\u2019s horns and tail\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  People\u2019s attitudes toward extreme wealth may be tied to their deep moral instincts shaped by culture, religion and psychology. (Image source: Freepik.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=student\">Student<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>What we really think about the ultra-wealthy<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Is extreme wealth a moral failure or a badge of honor? A global study co-led by USC Dornsife reveals what really drives our judgments about the ultra-rich.\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communications@dornsife.usc.edu\">USC Dornsife News<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">August 14, 2025<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m7.43475275 9.52380952-2.17490843 2.26076008c-1.08745421 1.058837-1.68841575 2.518315-1.68841575 4.0350275 0 1.5167124.60096154 2.9475732 1.68841575 4.0350274 1.058837 1.0874543 2.51831502 1.6884158 4.03502747 1.6884158 1.44087681 0 2.80427251-.5423678 3.86936601-1.5289606l.1656615-.1594552 2.2321428-2.2321428-1.6311813-1.6311813-2.2321429 2.26076c-.6581959.658196-1.5167124 1.0016026-2.43246332 1.0016026s-1.7742674-.3434066-2.43246337-1.0016026c-.65819597-.6581959-1.00160257-1.5167124-1.00160257-2.4324633 0-.8547009.2991453-1.6595442.87416905-2.2981957l.12743352-.1342677 2.23214286-2.2321429zm6.88661855-.40736607-5.26116068 5.26116075 1.61881868 1.6188186 5.2611607-5.2611607zm1.3837569-5.54501488c-1.4408768 0-2.8042725.54236779-3.869366 1.52896062l-.1656615.15945513-2.23214282 2.23214286 1.63118132 1.63118132 2.2321429-2.23214286c.6581959-.65819597 1.5167124-1.00160256 2.4324633-1.00160256s1.7742674.34340659 2.4324634 1.00160256 1.0016026 1.51671246 1.0016026 2.43246337c0 .85470089-.2991453 1.65954419-.8741691 2.29819559l-.1274335.1342678-2.2321429 2.2321428 1.5739469 1.5739469 2.2321429-2.2321428c1.0874542-1.058837 1.6884157-2.5183151 1.6884157-4.03502751 0-1.51671245-.6009615-2.94757326-1.6884157-4.03502747-1.058837-1.08745421-2.518315-1.68841575-4.0350275-1.68841575z\" transform=\"translate(-3 -3)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Copy Link<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_facebook\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#facebook\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Facebook\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_facebook\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m23.9512 6h-16.9024c-.57923625 0-1.0488.46956375-1.0488 1.0488v16.9024c0 .5792362.46956375 1.0488 1.0488 1.0488h9.10024v-7.34768h-2.46772v-2.87584h2.46772v-2.11508c0-2.45404 1.49872-3.79012 3.68828-3.79012.7389668-.00263323 1.4775241.03516995 2.21236.11324v2.56348h-1.51392c-1.18788 0-1.4174.56544-1.4174 1.39612v1.8316h2.84772l-.37088 2.87584h-2.47684v7.34844h4.83284c.5792362 0 1.0488-.4695638 1.0488-1.0488v-16.9024c0-.57923625-.4695638-1.0488-1.0488-1.0488z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(-6 -6)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Facebook<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_twitter\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#twitter\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"X\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_twitter\">\n              <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\"\n\t y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 30 30\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 30 30\" xml:space=\"preserve\" width=\"19\" height=\"19\">\n<path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M14.5,16.2l-0.8-1.1l-6.3-9h2.7l5.1,7.3l0.8,1.1\n\tl6.6,9.4h-2.7L14.5,16.2L14.5,16.2z M16.9,13.4l7.4-8.7h-1.8l-6.5,7.5L11,4.8H5l7.8,11.4L5,25.2h1.8l6.8-7.9l5.5,7.9h6L16.9,13.4\n\tL16.9,13.4z\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">X<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_linkedin\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#linkedin\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Linkedin\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_linkedin\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m25 21.4220779c0 1.974026-1.6038961 3.5779221-3.5779221 3.5779221h-11.84415582c-1.97402598 0-3.57792208-1.6038961-3.57792208-3.5779221v-11.84415582c0-1.97402598 1.6038961-3.57792208 3.57792208-3.57792208h11.84415582c1.974026 0 3.5779221 1.6038961 3.5779221 3.57792208zm-14.5584416-12.21428569c-.98701295 0-1.60389606.61688311-1.60389606 1.48051949-.12337663.8636364.49350649 1.4805195 1.48051946 1.4805195.987013 0 1.6038961-.6168831 1.6038961-1.4805195 0-.86363638-.6168831-1.48051949-1.4805195-1.48051949zm1.3571429 12.70779219v-8.6363636h-2.83766234v8.6363636zm10.2402597 0v-4.9350649c0-2.5909091-1.3571428-3.8246753-3.3311688-3.8246753-1.4805195 0-2.0974026.8636363-2.4675325 1.4805194v-1.2337662h-2.8376623v8.6363636h2.8376623v-4.9350649c0-.2467532 0-.4935065.1233767-.7402597.1233766-.4935065.6168831-.987013 1.4805194-.987013.987013 0 1.4805195.7402597 1.4805195 1.974026v4.564935z\" transform=\"translate(-6 -6)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">LinkedIn<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_bluesky\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#bluesky\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Bluesky\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_bluesky\">\n              <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                <path fill=\"#00000\" d=\"M12 10.8c-1.087-2.114-4.046-6.053-6.798-7.995C2.566.944 1.561 1.266.902 1.565C.139 1.908 0 3.08 0 3.768c0 .69.378 5.65.624 6.479c.815 2.736 3.713 3.66 6.383 3.364c.136-.02.275-.039.415-.056c-.138.022-.276.04-.415.056c-3.912.58-7.387 2.005-2.83 7.078c5.013 5.19 6.87-1.113 7.823-4.308c.953 3.195 2.05 9.271 7.733 4.308c4.267-4.308 1.172-6.498-2.74-7.078a8.741 8.741 0 0 1-.415-.056c.14.017.279.036.415.056c2.67.297 5.568-.628 6.383-3.364c.246-.828.624-5.79.624-6.478c0-.69-.139-1.861-.902-2.206c-.659-.298-1.664-.62-4.3 1.24C16.046 4.748 13.087 8.687 12 10.8\"  fill-rule=\"evenodd\" \/>\n              <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Bluesky<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                                <a class=\"a2a_button_email\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#email\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"E-mail\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_print\">\n              <svg height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 12\" width=\"18\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m8.14285714 9.42857143c-.17142857 0-.34285714 0-.51428571.08571428l7.28571427 6.34285719c.3428572.2571428.6857143.2571428.9428572 0l7.2857142-6.34285719c-.0857142-.08571428-.2571428-.08571428-.4285714-.08571428zm-1.28571428 1.11428567v.1714286 8.5714286c0 .6857143.6 1.2857143 1.28571428 1.2857143h14.57142856c.6857143 0 1.2857143-.6 1.2857143-1.2857143v-8.5714286c0-.0857143 0-.0857143 0-.1714286l-7.2 6.3428572c-.7714286.6857143-1.8857143.6857143-2.6571429 0z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(-6 -9)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Email<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                  <\/span>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n \n\n\n        \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-highlights \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-highlights\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Key points:\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n      <ul>\n              <li><p>The study asked more than 4,300 people in 20 countries whether it\u2019s morally wrong to have \u201ctoo much money.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n              <li><p>One of the strongest predictors of disapproval was a moral instinct to avoid excess, indulgence and corruption.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n              <li><p>People in wealthier and more income-equal countries, such as Switzerland and Ireland, were more likely to view extreme wealth as immoral.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n              <li><p>The study helps explain why opinions about billionaires are so divided \u2014 and why debates over inequality feel so personal.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n          <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n  \n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>Is a billionaire a brilliant innovator or a modern-day dragon, hoarding gold?<\/p>\n<p>Whether people admire or condemn extreme wealth may have less to do with economic theories and more to do with deep moral instincts shaped by culture, religion and psychology.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the takeaway from a new global study co-led by researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Published in the journal <em>PNAS Nexus<\/em>, <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/pnasnexus\/article\/4\/6\/pgaf158\/8159303\">the research<\/a> explores a provocative question: Is it morally wrong to be extremely rich?<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a timely question. As of 2025, more than 3,000 billionaires across 78 nations <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/chasewithorn\/2025\/04\/01\/forbes-39th-annual-worlds-billionaires-list-more-than-3000-worth-16-trillion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">collectively hold<\/a> about $16 trillion in wealth \u2014 and the richest 1% now control nearly half of all the world\u2019s financial assets. Such extreme concentration gives new resonance to a simple moral question: When does wealth become excess \u2014 and how does it make us feel?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople talk about inequality all the time, but that\u2019s different from asking whether having <em>too much<\/em> money is morally wrong,\u201d said co-lead author <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonptrager.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jackson Trager,<\/a> a <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/psyc\/\">psychology<\/a> PhD candidate at the Morality and Language Lab directed by <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/profile\/morteza-dehghani\/\">Morteza Dehghani<\/a>, professor of psychology and computer science at USC Dornsife.<\/p>\n<p>To find out, Trager and co-author <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umass.edu\/psychological-brain-sciences\/about\/directory\/mohammad-atari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mohammad Atari<\/a>, assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences at UMass Amherst, surveyed more than 4,300 people across 20 countries. Participants rated whether having \u201ctoo much money\u201d is morally wrong, without being told what \u201ctoo much\u201d means. The ambiguity was intentional: The researchers wanted to understand how people interpret financial excess through the lens of their own moral and cultural values.<\/p>\n<p>Across the board, most people did not view excessive wealth as morally wrong, but the strength of moral condemnation varied by country. People in Switzerland and Ireland, both relatively wealthy and economically equal societies, were among the most likely to condemn extreme wealth. In contrast, people in Peru, Argentina and Mexico, less wealthy countries with higher levels of income inequality, were more likely to view wealth accumulation as morally acceptable.<\/p>\n<p>Russia stood out as an exception. Despite being neither particularly wealthy nor economically equal, Russian participants expressed some of the strongest moral opposition to having too much money \u2014 a finding the researchers say points to the unique historical, cultural and political contexts that shape how we judge wealth.<\/p>\n<h2>The morality of \u201cfilthy rich\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>Using a framework known as Moral Foundations Theory, the researchers measured six core values that guide people\u2019s judgments: care, equality, loyalty, authority, proportionality, and purity.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_25133\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-25133\" style=\"width: 320px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-1x1_320 wp-image-25133\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/jackson-trager-320x320.jpg\" alt=\"Jackson Trager stands in front of a stone wall\" width=\"320\" height=\"320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/jackson-trager-320x320.jpg 320w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/jackson-trager-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/jackson-trager-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-25133\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">PhD candidate Jackson Trager studies, among other topics, morality across culture, time and technology. (Photo: Courtesy of Jackson Trager.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Around the globe, people who valued economic equality were more likely to judge extreme wealth as immoral, while those who emphasized proportionality, loyalty and authority tended to be more accepting of it.<\/p>\n<p>But one of the most striking predictors across cultures was purity \u2014 a moral instinct rarely associated with money.<\/p>\n<p>In this context, purity refers to a moral sensitivity to indulgence and perceived corruption \u2014 an instinct often tied to ideas of self-restraint, naturalness and spiritual cleanliness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople who place a high moral value on purity were more likely to say it\u2019s wrong to have too much money,\u201d said Trager, who is also affiliated with USC Dornsife\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/bci\/\">Brain and Creativity Institute<\/a>. \u201cIt suggests that for some, excess itself feels morally contaminating \u2014 like it degrades the soul.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That connection deepened in a follow-up study based in the United States, where Americans who valued purity were also more likely to condemn other kinds of excess \u2014 not just wealth, but things like too much ambition, indulgence or even happiness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt gives a whole new depth to the phrase \u2018filthy rich,\u2019\u201d Trager added. \u201cIt might not just be a joke \u2014 for some people, it captures a real moral reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trager notes that the idea that \u201cexcess\u201d itself (whether in wealth, wisdom, or pleasure) should be avoided is an ancient one. One of the maxims believed to have been inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi around 500 BC reads, \u201cNothing in excess,\u201d or in some translations, \u201cNothing too much.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>A tale of two billionaires<\/h2>\n<p>The findings may help explain why public opinion about billionaires is so polarized and why ultra-wealthy figures are seen as either geniuses or villains, depending on who\u2019s looking.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy do some billionaires get cast as villains and others as folk heroes?\u201d Trager asked. \u201cThis study suggests it may have less to do with dollars and more to do with perceived moral values.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cultural background plays a big role. In countries with strong Protestant traditions, for example, wealth was often seen as morally acceptable \u2014 even admirable \u2014 if believed to be earned through hard work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the heart of these differences are beliefs about what makes someone deserving,\u201d said Atari, who earned his PhD in psychology at USC Dornsife in 2021. \u201cIf your culture emphasizes effort, discipline and productivity as moral virtues, then wealth accumulation might seem justified \u2014 even noble.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a supplementary analysis presented in their paper, Trager and Atari provide support for the idea that a history of Protestant heritage, which is more supportive of wealth accumulation through hard work, can lessen the collective moral backlash against excessive wealth driven by purity norms.<\/p>\n<h2>What money means to us<\/h2>\n<p>The research helps explain why debates over wealth and inequality are so often charged with emotion and why attempts to discuss billionaires, taxation or redistribution can quickly turn into moral battlegrounds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese aren\u2019t just economic debates,\u201d Atari said. \u201cThey\u2019re moral ones. That\u2019s why people can look at the same billionaire and see either a role model or a moral failure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The findings offer insight into the moral foundations behind those divisions, revealing how deeply personal values \u2014 shaped by culture and religion \u2014 guide public opinion on issues like taxation, philanthropy and wealth accumulation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnderstanding these moral instincts helps explain not just individual reactions to wealth, but why societies disagree so fiercely about what\u2019s fair and what\u2019s obscene,\u201d Trager said.<\/p>\n<p>The team plans to continue exploring how people form moral judgments on other complex issues, from artificial intelligence to immigration to the role of religion in public life.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople often fight over politics and policy,\u201d Trager added. \u201cBut beneath all that are values \u2014 and understanding those values helps us understand ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>Editor\u2019s Note: Darrin S. Joy and Jim Key contributed to this article.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n  \n        \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-related-stories \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-related-stories\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n    \n                  <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/is-ai-really-writing-ancient-authors-would-have-said-no\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >Is AI really \u2018writing\u2019? From a priestess to philosophers, ancient authors would have said\u00a0\u2018no\u2019<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n              <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/giqbYRVn5v4\" \n         target=\"_blank\"                 class=\"\" \n      >\u2018Trojan Talks\u2019: USC President Beong-Soo Kim talks with Assal Habibi<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n              <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/today.usc.edu\/top-k-12-students-to-compete-in-science-olympiad-at-usc\/\" \n         target=\"_blank\"                 class=\"\" \n      >Top K-12 students to compete in Science Olympiad at USC<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n            <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is extreme wealth a moral failure or a badge of honor? A global study co-led by USC Dornsife reveals what really drives our judgments about the ultra-rich.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":25132,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,17],"tags":[548,121,112,60],"class_list":["post-25131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-impact","category-student","tag-brain-and-creativity-institute","tag-graduate","tag-psychology","tag-research"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What we really think about the ultra-wealthy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Is extreme wealth a moral failure or a badge of honor? A global study reveals what really drives judgments about the ultra-rich\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What people really think about ultra-wealthy billionaires\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Is extreme wealth a moral failure or a badge of honor? A global study reveals what really drives judgments about the ultra-rich\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"USC Dornsife News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-14T17:41:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-05T01:09:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1150\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Michael Liu\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@uscdornsife\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@uscdornsife\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Michael Liu\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/d03084ed5319ed7575c96017879a7447\"},\"headline\":\"What we really think about the ultra-wealthy\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-14T17:41:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-05T01:09:34+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/\"},\"wordCount\":7,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"brain and creativity institute\",\"graduate\",\"psychology\",\"research\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Social Impact\",\"Student\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/\",\"name\":\"What people really think about ultra-wealthy billionaires\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-14T17:41:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-05T01:09:34+00:00\",\"description\":\"Is extreme wealth a moral failure or a badge of honor? A global study reveals what really drives judgments about the ultra-rich\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4.jpg\",\"width\":2000,\"height\":1150,\"caption\":\"Illustration of a piece of currency adorned with angel wings and a halo and a devil\u2019s horns and tail\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What we really think about the ultra-wealthy\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/\",\"name\":\"USC Dornsife News\",\"description\":\"USC Dornsife news and events\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization\",\"name\":\"USC Dornsife News\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":330,\"caption\":\"USC Dornsife News\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/uscdornsife\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uscdornsife\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/USCCollege\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/uscdornsife\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/d03084ed5319ed7575c96017879a7447\",\"name\":\"Michael Liu\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/16962c8d3900280cb2e47f931ab45f9c2432ea07c167e9c00a6c2f8a0ec3d61f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/16962c8d3900280cb2e47f931ab45f9c2432ea07c167e9c00a6c2f8a0ec3d61f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Michael Liu\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/author\/liumk\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What we really think about the ultra-wealthy","description":"Is extreme wealth a moral failure or a badge of honor? A global study reveals what really drives judgments about the ultra-rich","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What people really think about ultra-wealthy billionaires","og_description":"Is extreme wealth a moral failure or a badge of honor? A global study reveals what really drives judgments about the ultra-rich","og_url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/","og_site_name":"USC Dornsife News","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife","article_published_time":"2025-08-14T17:41:19+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-05T01:09:34+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2000,"height":1150,"url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Michael Liu","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@uscdornsife","twitter_site":"@uscdornsife","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/"},"author":{"name":"Michael Liu","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/d03084ed5319ed7575c96017879a7447"},"headline":"What we really think about the ultra-wealthy","datePublished":"2025-08-14T17:41:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-05T01:09:34+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/"},"wordCount":7,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4.jpg","keywords":["brain and creativity institute","graduate","psychology","research"],"articleSection":["Social Impact","Student"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/","name":"What people really think about ultra-wealthy billionaires","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4.jpg","datePublished":"2025-08-14T17:41:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-05T01:09:34+00:00","description":"Is extreme wealth a moral failure or a badge of honor? A global study reveals what really drives judgments about the ultra-rich","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/money-morality-news-dornsife-v4.jpg","width":2000,"height":1150,"caption":"Illustration of a piece of currency adorned with angel wings and a halo and a devil\u2019s horns and tail"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/what-drives-judgment-of-ultra-wealthy-billionaires\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What we really think about the ultra-wealthy"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/","name":"USC Dornsife News","description":"USC Dornsife news and events","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#organization","name":"USC Dornsife News","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/USC-Dornsife-Cardinal-Black-on-White-RGB.jpg","width":1000,"height":330,"caption":"USC Dornsife News"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uscdornsife","https:\/\/x.com\/uscdornsife","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uscdornsife\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/USCCollege","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/uscdornsife"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/d03084ed5319ed7575c96017879a7447","name":"Michael Liu","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/16962c8d3900280cb2e47f931ab45f9c2432ea07c167e9c00a6c2f8a0ec3d61f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/16962c8d3900280cb2e47f931ab45f9c2432ea07c167e9c00a6c2f8a0ec3d61f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Michael Liu"},"url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/author\/liumk\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25131"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25211,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25131\/revisions\/25211"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}