Relative deprivation: a new derivation and application

Does Compulsory Citizenship Behavior Necessarily Reduce Employee’s Work Well-Being? The Role of Relative Deprivation and Resource Compensation Based on Compulsory Citizenship Behavior

“…Relative deprivation is defined as a subjective psychological structure, 32 in which the perception of the gap between expecting gains and actual gains will lead to the negative feelings of unbalance in the process of comparing with other corresponding referents. 13 From the perspective of social psychology, term “deprivation” is derived from absolute conditional disadvantages measured by objective criteria, 33 which belongs to objective social phenomenon. But relative deprivation reveals the negative attitudes from subjective comparison with relative conditions.…”

“… 35 Subsequently, some researchers expanded the origin of relative deprivation and pointed out that relative deprivation cannot be solely explained by the comparison with other reference objects, but also by the gap between value expectation and value capacity. 13 Sociologist Smith et al 36 systematically expounded relative deprivation as a subjective attitude towards deprivation compared to a horizontal or vertical referent. This cognitive feeling stems from the subject consciousness whose demands failed to be satisfied.…”

“…Vertical relative deprivation reveals the difference between value expectation and value capacity. 13 Value expectation is the general value status expected by individuals, while value capacity is their current retainment. When expectation faces failure or a low satisfaction level, relative feeling of interest loss is not derived from the comparison process with referents, but related to the perceived difference.…”

“…RDT states a subjective emotional experience based on psychological cognitive processes, 32 thus the structure of relative deprivation includes cognitive sources (failure of value expectations) and emotional cores (induced negative emotions). 46 In this sense, individuals detect the gap between their expectation and current status, then interpret the gap as unfairness after comparing their situation and conditions with other referents, 13 which will generate subjective feelings of exploitation and further trigger negative emotional experiences. 47 Therefore, relative deprivation is the result of cognitive dissonance, including negative emotional experience caused by relative interest damage.…”

“…RDT believes that individuals perform cognitive and emotional evaluation based on the process of social comparison, the imbalance between value expectation and value ability may cause certain psychological barriers. 13 Therefore, RDT can be used to explain the role of CCB in widening the gap between value expectation and value ability, as well as the role of resource compensation based on CCB in reducing the gap between value expectation and value ability. In conclusion, based on SDT and RDT, this research explored the conditions where CCB’s side effects on employees’ work well-being through reducible or avoidable relative deprivation.…”