Feeling disadvantaged can have a profound impact on how we perceive and interact with others, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology. The research reveals a psychological link between feeling left behind in the social hierarchy and a tendency to view interpersonal relationships as mere transactions, treating others as tools for personal gain. This phenomenon, known as personal relative deprivation, is more than just a blow to self-esteem; it reshapes how people navigate their social worlds.
Social comparisons are an inherent part of human behavior, as we constantly evaluate our success, goals, and place in society against our peers. Upward comparisons, where we compare ourselves to those with more wealth, better jobs, or higher social standing, can sometimes motivate self-improvement but often result in feelings of intense disadvantage. This experience, known as personal relative deprivation, breeds frustration, anger, and resentment, negatively impacting mental health and altering social behavior.
The study, conducted by Xuegang Zheng, Jie Leng, and Ping Hu from Renmin University of China, delves into the psychological mechanisms behind why feeling disadvantaged damages social bonds. They hypothesized that people who feel deprived start to view their peers as objects to be used rather than human beings with inner lives, a process known as objectification in psychology. This objectification leads to an exchange orientation in relationships, where people interact based on strict cost-benefit tracking, akin to financial transactions.
To test their hypothesis, the researchers conducted three distinct investigations. The first study involved 3,482 university freshmen in China, who completed standardized surveys measuring their subjective feelings of disadvantage and their tendency to treat social contacts as tools. The results revealed a reliable association between these measures, indicating that students who reported higher levels of relative deprivation also reported a greater tendency to objectify others.
The second study, involving 250 adults, further explored the transactional mindset as the connecting mechanism. Participants answered questions about relative deprivation, objectification, and their tendency to track costs and benefits in friendships. The researchers found that feeling deprived was strongly linked to adopting an exchange orientation, which, in turn, predicted the objectification of others, even when factoring out dark personality traits and the desire for social dominance.
To establish a causal link, the third study manipulated feelings of deprivation in 194 adults using an experimental design. Participants were asked to imagine living on a newly discovered planet where resources were stored vertically, making flying the most important skill for securing a good life. They were then asked to evaluate the importance of various traits in a potential friend, with the highly deprived group placing greater importance on instrumental qualities like flying skills.
The experiment demonstrated that a sense of deprivation directly causes people to view relationships through a cost-benefit lens, leading to a transactional mindset that values others primarily for their practical utility. This raises a deeper question: how can we reverse this objectifying effect and strengthen community bonds?
While the study provides valuable insights, the researchers note several caveats. The reliance on hypothetical scenarios and self-reported questionnaires might not perfectly capture actual face-to-face interactions. The research also utilized participant samples entirely drawn from China, and different cultural norms might alter how people react to feeling disadvantaged. Additionally, the transactional mindset is just one pathway to objectification, and future research should explore other psychological reactions and potential interventions.
In conclusion, this study highlights the profound impact of feeling disadvantaged on our social interactions. It underscores the importance of understanding and addressing personal relative deprivation to foster healthier and more supportive relationships. As we navigate our social worlds, it is crucial to recognize the potential consequences of feeling left behind and take steps to mitigate their negative effects.
