RELATIVE DEPRIVATION THEORY I

People in developing countries who migrate to the U.S. think that American born citizens are very privileged. However, I have heard many American born citizens talk about how privileged immigrants from developing countries are.

I recall a conversation that I once had. While I recognize that there was a lot of ignorance interfering with that conversation, I remember this American born citizen trying to explain why they have stayed in a dead end job for 25yrs and the person finished off by saying, “…you know y’all immigrants are lucky, the government sends y’all to school for free when you come here…”. The government of America sends immigrants to school for free?! Whew!

Of course I experienced the individual who said this as hostile, passive-aggressive, and catty. I only just tried to understand why that person was that way towards me, and I learned that this person thought that by me being an immigrant, I do enjoy such privileges as free education by the government of their country, up to tertiary education! The conclusion part of what this person said to me was that the government neglected them compared to how well they treated immigrants from African countries.

In that moment, the concept of relative deprivation popped up in my head. I simply corrected the faulty assumption, moved on to other topics where the individual kept painting themselves as natural born victims, and we had to move on to getting work done. I was happy that the conversation was over.

So what is relative deprivation theory?

Relative deprivation theory is a social theory that explains how individuals or groups perceive their well-being in relation to others. It posits that people evaluate their own circumstances not just in absolute terms, but in comparison to others. This comparison can lead to feelings of discontent or deprivation when individuals feel that they are worse off than those around them, even if their absolute conditions are not poor.

Key components of relative deprivation theory include:

1. Comparison: Individuals assess their own situation against a reference group, which could be peers, neighbors, or any group they identify with.
2. Subjective Experience: The feelings of deprivation are subjective; two individuals in similar circumstances might feel differently based on their comparisons.
3. Social Context: The theory emphasizes the importance of social context and social norms in shaping perceptions of deprivation.
4. Consequences: Feelings of relative deprivation can lead to various social outcomes, including frustration, anger, and social unrest. They can also motivate collective action or social movements as groups seek to improve their standing.

Relative deprivation theory highlights the significance of social comparisons in shaping individual and group behavior and attitudes toward social justice and equality.

So how does this affect the individual? Find out more in the next article on this topic. Meantime, feel free to like, share, and leave a comment.