Loyalty In exchange: perceived relative deprivation, felt obligation and citizen exchange ideology on national identification and dis-identification

• Main Author: Lau, Xin Xia
• Other Authors: Wan Ching
• Format: Thesis-Master by Research
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Social sciences::Psychology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/168613
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This research examines the relationship between individuals’ experience of relative deprivation and their national identification and dis-identification, from a social contract perspective. We predicted that perceived relative deprivation of opportunities for success would be negatively related to national identification, mediated by weaker felt obligation to the nation. Similarly, a positive relationship will be observed between perceived relative deprivation and national dis-identification mediated by weaker felt obligation. In addition, the relevance of the social contract in national identification and dis-identification rest upon the exchange nature of the citizen-nation relationship. Citizen exchange ideology was postulated to moderate the indirect effect of relative deprivation on national identification and dis-identification via felt obligation. Two main studies were conducted to explore the aforementioned relationships with Singaporean young adults aged between 21 and 34. Studies 1a and 1b were correlational in nature while Studies 2a and 2b utilised an experimental paradigm to validate the results obtained in Study 1. The predictions were generally supported in Study 1 but partially supported in Study 2. Nonetheless, the overall results suggested the importance of examining national identification from an exchange perspective. Implications for understanding individuals’ perception of citizenship and their obligation to the nation will be discussed.