{
  "id": 171440,
  "title": "Study reveals a psychological link between feeling disadvantaged and using people",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/study-reveals-a-psychological-link-between-feeling-disadvantaged-and",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-05T11:00:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PsyPost",
    "slug": "psypost",
    "url": "https://www.psypost.org/feeling-deprived-causes-people-to-view-relationships-as-transactions/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Psychological research reveals a significant link between feelings of social disadvantage and objectifying others. A study from Renmin University of China, published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, found that people who perceive themselves as relative deprived tend to view their peers as tools for personal gain. This objectifying behavior stems from a shift from communal relationships towards exchange-oriented interactions where costs and benefits are strictly tracked.\n\nThe researchers hypothesized that this psychological mechanism could be explained by an increase in transactional thinking. In exchange-oriented relationships, people prioritize self-interest over mutual support. To test this hypothesis, they conducted three distinct studies. The first involved 3,482 university freshmen in China who completed surveys measuring their feelings of disadvantage and tendencies to objectify others. The results showed a strong correlation between relative deprivation and objectifying behavior, even after controlling for age and gender differences.\n\nA second study of 250 adults was designed to determine if transactional mindset acted as the psychological bridge between deprivation and objectification. Participants completed surveys measuring relative deprivation, objectification, and dark personality traits like narcissism. The researchers found that those who felt deprived were more likely to adopt an exchange orientation, which in turn predicted objectifying others. This pathway remained consistent even when factoring out dark personality traits and the desire for social power.\n\nThe third study established a causal link by actively manipulating feelings of deprivation. Participants read a scenario in which they imagined living on a planet where resource access determined life success. One group was made to feel high relative deprivation, while another felt low. The deprived group subsequently prioritized instrumental qualities like flying skills over interpersonal traits when evaluating potential friends. This demonstrated that deprivation directly causes people to view relationships through a cost-benefit lens.\n\nThe findings underscore how societal hierarchies can profoundly impact interpersonal dynamics. Feelings of being left behind lead people to dehumanize others and exploit relationships for personal gain. Addressing social inequality may be crucial not only for economic well-being but also for fostering healthier, more authentic social connections.",
  "summary": "When people feel disadvantaged compared to their peers, they are more likely to view relationships as mere transactions. A new psychology study reveals how this sense of relative deprivation causes individuals to treat others as tools for personal gain.",
  "key_points": [
    "Study links social disadvantage to objectifying behavior",
    "Renmin University research published in Journal of Applied Social Psychology",
    "Deprivation causes transactional mindset leading to dehumanization"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}