{"id":1684,"date":"2019-09-29T21:51:21","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T01:51:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=1684"},"modified":"2022-03-08T10:12:51","modified_gmt":"2022-03-08T14:12:51","slug":"relative-deprivation-theory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/relative-deprivation-theory\/","title":{"rendered":"Relative Deprivation Theory: Why You Shouldn’t Go to Harvard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the relative deprivation theory? How does it affect the choices I make, in school, at work, and in life in general?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The relative deprivation theory is a theory that says we compare ourselves to the people around us. Our feelings of happiness or deprivation, success or failure, are not absolute, but rather relative to how happy and successful our neighbors are<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn why it’s critical to understand the relative deprivation theory when making decisions and assessing your successes and failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Relative Deprivation<\/strong> Theory<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We compare ourselves to others<\/a>. Our feelings of happiness or deprivation, success or failure, are not absolute, but rather relative to how happy and successful our neighbors are<\/strong>. This is the relative deprivation theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countries in which citizens consider themselves the happiest (Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, and Canada) have a higher suicide rate than countries in which citizens consider themselves generally unhappy or neutral. If you\u2019re depressed in a place where everyone around you seems happy, you feel worse.<\/strong> However, if you\u2019re depressed in a place where everyone around you also seems a little depressed, you feel normal and things aren\u2019t so bad. According to the relative deprivation theory, we evaluate almost all aspects of life based on these same aspects in the lives of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In education, we call this the \u201cBig Fish-Little Pond Effect<\/strong>.\u201d When assessing their own academic abilities, students don\u2019t compare themselves to every other student in the world. They compare themselves to the students in their class. The more elite the school, the more negatively students perceive their own academic abilities.<\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Consequences of the Relative Deprivation Theory<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why does how we view our abilities matter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our perceptions have real-world consequences. Let\u2019s take a look at the drop-out rates at Hartwick College and Harvard<\/strong> to see the \u201cBig Fish-Little Pond Effect\u201d influences graduation rates in STEM fields.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In America, more than 50% of all students majoring in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) drop out before receiving a degree. The majority of those who drop out are in the middle or bottom third of the class (ranked by SAT scores). This is true regardless of the university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n