Abstract

The aim of this study is to project people’s perceptions about the rich and poor. In this descriptive study, a questionnaire developed by the researcher and caricatures were used to collect data. The questionnaire composed of seven items including questions directed to adjectives related to the participants’ perceptions about the rich and poor as well as questions of gender, age, and socio-economic status. The study composed of 973 participants (653 males and 320 females), sampled conveniently among people living in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey in 2014. 76.74% of the participants characterized the poor by using seven adjectives: honest, moral, happy, legal, sincere-friendly, empathetic-modest, and fair-objective. On the other hand, 77.41% of the participants characterized the rich by using eleven adverse adjectives; arrogant, defrauder, bribe-taker, immoral, unfair-subjective, imposter, penny pincher, liar, aggressive-oppressive, shrewd-evil minded, and insensible. The study reached inferences and offered suggestions based on the results.

Key words: Image study, the rich and poor perception.