Exploring perceived constraints and psychological distress as pathways in the link between personal relative deprivation and aggressive tendencies

Abstract Although personal relative deprivation (PRD; feelings of resentment and dissatisfaction that arise from making unfavourable comparisons to similar others) has been linked to increased aggressive affect and behaviour, the socio-cognitive mechanisms underpinning this association have been largely overlooked. The current study aimed to investigate the role of a sense of personal control in this relationship, given its unique links with both PRD and psychological distress. In a sample of 311 UK currently employed adults, parallel and multiple indicator mediation analyses revealed that the association between PRD and aggression is mediated by perceived constraints (but not personal mastery), and in turn by psychological distress. The results of this study bolster previous literature outlining the specific association between PRD and perceived constraints, offer novel insights into the relationship between PRD and psychological distress and advance our understanding of the links between PRD and aggressive tendencies.