I'm not qualified to comment on the fuzzier elements of psychology here, but rich parents do matter in some pretty practical ways. Most dramatically: Rich par

I'm not qualified to comment on the fuzzier elements of psychology here, but rich parents do matter in some pretty practical ways. Most dramatically: Rich parents know interesting people. In many cases, wealth is a function of trust combined with ability. You don't (usually) get wealthy by hiding in your basement and never talking to anyone. So along the way, you meet good people and build relationships. Conversely, the less wealthy a parent is, the less likely they are to form relationships with people who can benefit their children. At the extreme end: if your mom is a fry cook at McDonald's, what benefits are her colleagues able to offer you? How many of those connections can benefit your future? On the other end, if your mom is Marissa Mayer, you're in much better shape. 14 and want a summer job? I bet she knows someone who could give you some interesting, mind-expanding paid work. 19 and looking for a college gig that can help you get a great job after your graduate? etc. It's anecdotal, but growing up in a household that wasn't at all wealthy, I can point to this as the greatest disadvantage I faced. I wanted to learn programming, but we didn't know anyone who knew anything about that. I wanted to know anything at all about computers, and I was on my own. Not an insurmountable problem – I taught myself. But I know access to mentorship at an early age could have made a huge impact.