Citation

Sagioglou C, Forstmann M, Greitemeyer T. Person. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 2019; 45(4): 541-556.

Affiliation

1 University of Innsbruck, Austria.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0146167218789073

PMID

30141360

Abstract

Comparing economically unfavorably with similar others has detrimental consequences for an individual, ultimately resulting in low physical health, delinquency, and hostility. In four studies ( N = 2,032), we examined whether believing in a mobile society-one offering fair chances and opportunity-mitigates hostile emotions resulting from disadvantaged social standing. We find that with increasing mobility belief, negative comparisons have gradually less impact on hostility. Specifically, measured (Studies 1 and 4) and manipulated (Studies 2 and 3) social mobility belief moderated the link between induced high versus low social status, experiencing relative deprivation, and hostile affect. A positive outcome on the surface, social mobility belief may indirectly contribute to the maintenance of social inequality by appeasing anger about perceived injustice.

Language: en

Keywords

interpersonal hostility; relative deprivation; social mobility; subjective socioeconomic status