Perceived downward status shift relative to a minority breeds intense relative deprivation and resentment.
Evidence
Envious prejudices are likely to be at their most acute in situations in which majority group members feel that their social status has shifted downward relative to the status of a minority, a situation likely to create intense feelings of relative deprivation—the resentment that occurs when individuals or groups believe that others’ outcomes are unfairly greater than their own (Davis, 1959; Runciman, 1966). — Leonard S. Newman and Ralph Erber (eds.), Understanding Genocide, 803
Categorization
- DEFINE: Defines relative deprivation as resentment triggered by believing others’ outcomes are unfairly greater.
- XREF: Links to postwar German status decline after WWI as the precondition for Nazi scapegoating of Jews, connecting to earlier chapters of this book on fascism. — connects to: Fraternal deprivation measures group-level grievance about power and status relative to out-groups. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3366; Involuntary loss of majority status triggers outsized negative reactions — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 1428; Ingroup identification can moderate or mediate how deprivation produces prejudice — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 464 (+1 more)
Broader Connections
- Involuntary loss of majority status triggers outsized negative reactions
#corroborates(0.95) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 1428 - Ingroup identification can moderate or mediate how deprivation produces prejudice
#expands(0.80) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 464 - Fraternal deprivation measures group-level grievance about power and status relative to out-groups.
#expands(0.75) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3366