Groups sometimes sacrifice absolute gain to achieve relative advantage over rivals

Evidence

From social identity theory come the important notions that the conflict between groups is not necessarily or even primarily designed to maximize the absolute material return to the ingroup but rather to maximize the relative return to the ingroup, sometimes even at the cost of substantial material loss to both the self and the ingroup. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3269

Categorization

• XREF: Echoes Milgrom’s one-shot game theory showing rational actors locking into collectively worse outcomes — relative-position-maximizing behavior across domains. — connects to: A 5-to-1 reach advantage is needed to beat a micro-targeting rival — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects…, 585
• DEEPTHINKING: A compact, counterintuitive psychological engine: status competition overriding material self-interest, and it generalizes far beyond intergroup psychology.