People evaluate their own wealth differently from how they evaluate the wealth of others. Across six experiments, we find evidence that people focus disproportionately on debt when thinking about their own (vs. another person's) wealth. In Experiments 1–3, participants predicted how wealthy they or someone else would be in one year, assuming they had the same amount in assets and debt today. While participants were generally optimistic about the future, they believed debt would shrink faster for themselves than for others. Participants focused more on paying down debt than growing assets when thinking about their own wealth. Further, when asked to consider what they would do with a windfall, they allocated more towards repaying debt than they believed others would. In Experiments 4 and 5, participants assessed their own wealth or that of another person after purchasing a car or a house and borrowing to do so. In every case, participants considered others (vs. oneself) as better off financially when holding the price and amount borrowed constant. As debt increased, the gap between self and others widened. In Experiment 6, a separate group of participants also reported their beliefs about how others might see them. When actively considering another person's perspective, people saw themselves as wealthier. We conclude by discussing the role that different evaluations of wealth might play in patterns of conspicuous consumption.

人们评估自己财富的方式与评估他人财富的方式不同。在六个实验中，我们发现证据表明人们在考虑自己（与他人）财富时不成比例地关注债务。在实验 1-3 中，假设他们今天拥有相同数量的资产和债务，参与者预测他们或其他人在一年内会有多富有。虽然参与者普遍对未来持乐观态度，但他们认为自己的债务减少速度会比其他人更快。在考虑自己的财富时，参与者更关注偿还债务而不是增加资产。此外，当被要求考虑他们将如何处理意外之财时，他们分配给偿还债务的资金比他们认为的其他人要多。在实验 4 和 5 中，参与者在购买汽车或房屋并借钱后评估自己或他人的财富。在每种情况下，参与者都认为在保持借贷价格和金额不变的情况下，其他人（相对于自己）的财务状况会更好。随着债务的增加，自我与他人之间的差距扩大了。在实验 6 中，另一组参与者也报告了他们对他人如何看待他们的看法。当积极考虑他人的观点时，人们认为自己更富有。最后，我们讨论了不同的财富评估在炫耀性消费模式中可能发挥的作用。随着债务的增加，自我与他人之间的差距扩大了。在实验 6 中，另一组参与者也报告了他们对他人如何看待他们的看法。当积极考虑他人的观点时，人们认为自己更富有。最后，我们讨论了不同的财富评估在炫耀性消费模式中可能发挥的作用。随着债务的增加，自我与他人之间的差距扩大了。在实验 6 中，另一组参与者也报告了他们对他人如何看待他们的看法。当积极考虑他人的观点时，人们认为自己更富有。最后，我们讨论了不同的财富评估在炫耀性消费模式中可能发挥的作用。