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Social comparison, personal relative deprivation, and materialism.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Kim, Hyunji 
Callan, Mitchell J 
Gheorghiu, Ana I 
Matthews, William J 

Abstract

Across five studies, we found consistent evidence for the idea that personal relative deprivation (PRD), which refers to resentment stemming from the belief that one is deprived of deserved outcomes compared to others, uniquely contributes to materialism. In Study 1, self-reports of PRD positively predicted materialistic values over and above socioeconomic status, personal power, self-esteem, and emotional uncertainty. The experience of PRD starts with social comparison, and Studies 2 and 3 found that PRD mediated the positive relation between a tendency to make social comparisons of abilities and materialism. In Study 4, participants who learned that they had less (vs. similar) discretionary income than people like them reported a stronger desire for more money relative to donating more to charity. In Study 5, during a windfall-spending task, participants higher in PRD spent more on things they wanted relative to other spending categories (e.g., paying off debts).

Description

Keywords

consumer behaviour, materialism, personal relative deprivation, social comparison, social status, Adult, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Motivation, Personal Satisfaction, Power, Psychological, Self Concept, Social Class, Uncertainty, Young Adult

Journal Title

Br J Soc Psychol

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0144-6665
2044-8309

Volume Title

56

Publisher

Wiley
Sponsorship
This work was supported by grant RPG-2013-148 from the Leverhulme Trust and studentship ES/J500045/1 from the Economic and Social Research Council.