Grievance tracks comparison with a reference group rather than absolute condition.
Stouffer's finding in The American Soldier: military police were less satisfied with promotion than air corpsmen, despite slower promotion, because each compared to their own branch's rate.
In practice
- A nurse content with a 4% rise learns the ward next door received 5%, and the 4% has not changed.
- A well-paid team that discovers a neighbouring team is paid slightly more is more aggrieved than one paid less with no comparison available.
- Further reading
- Wikipedia
- Subject
- Sociology & Culture
- Essay
- How societies hold together, sort people, and change