A thought-provoking and unique look at status, inequality and the psychology behind it.

'A persuasive and highly readable account of how rising inequality, and not just absolute poverty, is undermining our politics, social cohesion, long-term prosperity and general well-being' Barack Obama

Inequality makes us feel poor and act poor, even when we're not. It affects our mood, decision-making and even our immune systems. Using groundbreaking research in psychology and neuroscience, Keith Payne explains how inequality shapes our world and influences our thinking, how we perform at work and respond to stress - and what we can do to combat its most insidious effects on our lives.

'Eye-opening' Susan Cain, author of Quiet
'Important, timely and beautifully written' Adam Atler, author of Irresistible

THE BROKEN LADDER is an important, timely and beautifully written account of how inequality affects us all. Though it surely plagues the poorest and most vulnerable members of society, Keith Payne expertly and engagingly shows that it also touches the wealthy and privileged. Payne marshals the cutting edge in psychology and neuroscience research to explain how inequality influences our political and religious beliefs, how we perform at work, and how we respond to stress and physical threats - and how we can combat its most insidious effects on our lives