PSYCHOLOGICAL PORTRAITS OF POVERTY AND PROSPERITY: EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF POVERTY INTENSITY ASCENDENCY MODEL DRAWING EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIA

The main aim of this study is to investigate the perception of poverty and prosperity conditions in Nigeria, and to find explanations to why perceived hatred for poverty might be more intense than love for prosperity. Utilizing a survey with structured questionnaire, the results reveal that most individuals in Nigeria hate poverty so intensely, and equally love and enjoy riches so intensely. Contrary to the reasoning behind the affluenza and American paradoxes as well as propositions along the religious sentiments of 'love' for poverty, the hatred for poverty is more intense than the love for riches. Six crucial reasons were identified to explain this observed phenomenon. The study found evidence that only the bondage, mediocrity, and fear arguments significantly explain why the intensity of hatred for poverty is greater than the intensity of love for riches among the study participants. The humility, pride and destiny arguments were not significant explanatory factors.