relative deprivation

American  

noun

Sociology.

1. the perception of an unfair disparity between one's situation and that of others.

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Etymology

Origin of relative deprivation

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

It’s no longer about saving 50% to 70% of your income for decades, living in relative deprivation to stop working at 40, she said.

From Barron's

Remittances - India received an estimated $120bn in 2023 - fuel aspirations for a better life, driven not by poverty but "relative deprivation", as families seek to match the success of others abroad, the study says.

From BBC

Rather, they are trying to escape what some call "relative deprivation".

From BBC

But because it appeared everyone on television and in magazines was doing so well, relative deprivation — feeling the need to “keep up with the Joneses” — replaced common sense.

From Seattle Times

If perceptions of social status influence levels of stress and anxiety, then cultural factors also play a critical role: For example, by amplifying a sense of relative deprivation through media images of "the good life" and celebrity lifestyles that are increasingly beyond the reach of most of us; or moderating that sense by providing alternative cultural models, such as downshifting and simple living, that undermine conventional social comparisons.

From Salon