Comparisons and Perceived Deprivation in Ethnic Minority Settings

• Published in: Personality & social psychology bulletin Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 467 - 482
• Main Authors: Zagefka, Hanna, Brown, Rupert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA SAGE Publications 01-04-2005; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - ethnology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - psychology; Child; Choice Behavior - physiology; Comparative Analysis; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Deprivation; Ethnic minorities; Female; Germany; Groups; Hierarchy, Social; Humans; Life satisfaction; London; Male; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority Groups; Minority Groups - psychology; Participation; Perceptions; Personal Satisfaction; Prejudice; Psychology, Adolescent - methods; Relative Deprivation; Self Concept; Self image; Self-Other comparison; Selfperception; Social Identification; Social Identity; Social Perception; Social status; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time; Turkey - ethnology; London; Germany; Turkey; temporal comparison; relative deprivation; social comparison; ethnic minority
• ISSN: 0146-1672; 1552-7433
• DOI: 10.1177/0146167204271711

Two studies investigated comparison choices among ethnic minorities and majorities. The perceived status of the self vis-àvis different comparison targets also was assessed. Antecedents and consequences of comparisons and relative deprivation were examined. Predictions were derived from social comparison, stigma, social identity, and relative deprivation research. Two surveys were conducted, one in London with mainly Asian participants (N = 235) and one in Germany with Turkish and Aussiedler participants (N = 166) and German majority members (N = 351). Participants preferred intragroup and temporal comparisons (with other ingroup members and with the self in the past) to various types of cross-group comparisons (with outgroup members). Perceived similarity and contact with a target positively predicted interest in comparing with this target, and perceived higher status of the target was a negative predictor. Some evidence was found that feelings of deprivation depend on comparison choices. Deprivation negatively predicted self-esteem and life satisfaction. Deprivation and group identification were negatively correlated.