Published

2026-07-23

Agency, Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions.

Agencia, psicología y bienestar económico: un estudio empírico en regiones de alta marginación

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v35n2.118194

Keywords:

Human agency, capabilities approach, psychological traits, structural equation modelling (SEM), high marginalisation (en)
Agencia humana, enfoque de capacidades, características psicológicas, modelo de ecuaciones estructurales (MEE), alta marginación (es)

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Authors

  • Clara Edith Muñoz-Márquez Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México image/svg+xml
  • Germán Palafox-Palafox Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México image/svg+xml

Human agency, understood as the capacity to act in pursuit of valued goals, depends on the interaction between psychological resources and structural opportunities. Based on the Capability Approach, this study analyses how psychological characteristics (perseverance, resilience, intelligence, and impulsivity) and objective capabilities (education and type of employment) influence income in contexts of high marginalisation. Using a structural equation model applied to data from 1,238 household heads, acceptable fit indices were obtained. The results indicate that psychological resources serve an adaptive function, but do not replace the fundamental role of structural opportunities. Furthermore, the model controlled for the direct effect of sex on income, revealing the persistence of a gender pay gap which reflects systemic gender inequalities. These findings underscore the need for public policies that expand structural opportunities and strengthen individual capacities in an integrated manner amongst vulnerable populations.

La agencia humana, entendida como la capacidad de actuar en favor de metas valiosas, depende de la interacción entre
recursos psicológicos y oportunidades estructurales. Basado en el Enfoque de Capacidades, este estudio analiza cómo características psicológicas (perseverancia, resiliencia, inteligencia e impulsividad) y capacidades objetivas (educación y tipo de empleo) influyen en el ingreso en contextos de alta marginación. Mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales aplicado a datos de 1,238 jefes de familia, se obtuvieron índices de ajuste aceptables. Los resultados indican que los recursos psicológicos cumplen una función adaptativa, pero no sustituyen el papel fundamental de las oportunidades estructurales. Además, el modelo controló por el efecto directo del sexo en el ingreso, lo que revela la persistencia de una brecha salarial que refleja desigualdades sistémicas de género. Estos hallazgos subrayan la necesidad de políticas públicas que amplíen las oportunidades estructurales y fortalezcan las capacidades individuales de forma integrada en poblaciones vulnerables.

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How to Cite

APA

Muñoz-Márquez, C. E. & Palafox-Palafox, G. (2026). Agency, Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, 35(2), 77–95. https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v35n2.118194

ACM

[1]
Muñoz-Márquez, C.E. and Palafox-Palafox, G. 2026. Agency, Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions. Revista Colombiana de Psicología. 35, 2 (Jul. 2026), 77–95. DOI:https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v35n2.118194.

ACS

(1)
Muñoz-Márquez, C. E.; Palafox-Palafox, G. Agency, Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions. Rev. colomb. psicol. 2026, 35, 77-95.

ABNT

MUÑOZ-MÁRQUEZ, C. E.; PALAFOX-PALAFOX, G. Agency, Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, [S. l.], v. 35, n. 2, p. 77–95, 2026. DOI: 10.15446/rcp.v35n2.118194. Disponível em: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/psicologia/article/view/118194. Acesso em: 19 aug. 2026.

Chicago

Muñoz-Márquez, Clara Edith, and Germán Palafox-Palafox. 2026. “ Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions”. Revista Colombiana De Psicología 35 (2):77-95. https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v35n2.118194.

Harvard

Muñoz-Márquez, C. E. and Palafox-Palafox, G. (2026) “ Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions”., Revista Colombiana de Psicología, 35(2), pp. 77–95. doi: 10.15446/rcp.v35n2.118194.

IEEE

[1]
C. E. Muñoz-Márquez and G. Palafox-Palafox, “ Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions”., Rev. colomb. psicol., vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 77–95, Jul. 2026.

MLA

Muñoz-Márquez, C. E., and G. Palafox-Palafox. “ Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions”. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, vol. 35, no. 2, July 2026, pp. 77-95, doi:10.15446/rcp.v35n2.118194.

Turabian

Muñoz-Márquez, Clara Edith, and Germán Palafox-Palafox. “ Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions”. Revista Colombiana de Psicología 35, no. 2 (July 24, 2026): 77–95. Accessed August 19, 2026. https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/psicologia/article/view/118194.

Vancouver

1.
Muñoz-Márquez CE, Palafox-Palafox G. Agency, Psychology and Economic Well-being: An Empirical Study in Highly Marginalized Regions. Rev. colomb. psicol. [Internet]. 2026 Jul. 24 [cited 2026 Aug. 19];35(2):77-95. Available from: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/psicologia/article/view/118194

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