Two Sources of Alienation from Society: The Role of Economic Relative Deprivation, Anti-Mainstream Identities, and Perceived Ingroup Injustice

Davide Melita (), Malgorzata Kossowska, Piotr Dragon, Manuel Moyano, Monika Gołąb, Agata Andrysiak and Reyes Rodríguez
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Davide Melita: Jagiellonian University
Malgorzata Kossowska: Jagiellonian University
Piotr Dragon: Jagiellonian University
Manuel Moyano: University of Cordoba
Monika Gołąb: Jagiellonian University
Agata Andrysiak: Jagiellonian University
Reyes Rodríguez: University of Cordoba

Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, 2025, vol. 180, issue 2, No 2, 589-617

Abstract: Abstract Five cross-sectional pre-registered studies (N = 2925) were conducted in different European countries to examine personal economic relative deprivation and perceived ingroup injustice as predictors of alienation from society (i.e., societal alienation), alongside the role of humiliation. Additionally, we explored whether the adoption of anti-mainstream identities is linked to the collective roots of societal alienation. Across all studies, anti-mainstream identities were operationalized as identities opposing the status quo, endorsing anti-mainstream narratives, or subjectively defined as anti-mainstream. Results consistently revealed that both personal economic relative deprivation and perceived ingroup injustice significantly predicted societal alienation. Furthermore, anti-mainstream identities exhibited a serial indirect effect on societal alienation through heightened perceived ingroup injustice and experienced humiliation in Studies 1a-3a, and through heightened perceived ingroup injustice in Study 3b. This research contributes to our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underpinning societal alienation, a precursor to various societal outcomes, including the rise of authoritarian populism or political polarization.

Keywords: Social alienation; Personal economic relative deprivation; Ingroup injustice; Humiliation; Anti-mainstream identity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s11205-025-03687-7

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