Sociological Study of the Relationship between The Feeling of Relative Deprivation and Delinquency among Adolescents in Quds City
Subject Areas : Research on Iranian social issues
1 - Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran.
Keywords: Relative Deprivation, Social Comparison, Poverty, Delinquency, Juvenile.,
Abstract :
Sociological Study of the Relationship between
The Feeling of Relative Deprivation and Delinquency
among Adolescents in Quds City
Mousa Saadati*
One of the social problems that have many consequences for the individual and the family is the problem of delinquency among teenagers. At the macro level, juvenile delinquency, in addition to imposing huge economic and social costs, hinders the development and dynamism of any society. In this regard, this research has been carried out to sociologically investigate the relationship between the feeling of relative deprivation and delinquency among the teenagers of Quds city. The research method is survey. The statistical population includes all adolescents under 18 years of age in Quds city, numbering 19,190 people, of which 377 people were selected through Cochran's statistical formula as the sample size and stratified random sampling based on the size. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect information. Cronbach's alpha technique was used to measure the reliability of the measuring instrument, and the results of the mentioned coefficient were above 0.7 for all variables. Also, SPSS software was used to analyze the resulting data. The theoretical framework of the research is based on the opinions of social thinkers such as Robert Merton, Albert Cohen and Robert Garr. The results of the Pearson correlation test indicate that the correlation between all the components of the feeling of relative deprivation, including the feeling of social deprivation, the feeling of economic deprivation, the feeling of cultural deprivation and the feeling of medical deprivation, with juvenile delinquency was significant and the type of relationship was positive and direct. The results of the regression analysis also showed that the variables of feeling of economic deprivation, feeling of cultural deprivation, feeling of social deprivation and feeling of medical deprivation respectively had the greatest impact on the variable of delinquency. Also, the mentioned variables have explained and predicted 36% of the dependent variable changes.
Keywords: Relative Deprivation, Social Comparison, Poverty, Delinquency, Juvenile.
Introduction
One of the social problems that has many consequences for the individual and the family is the issue of juvenile delinquency. On a macro level, juvenile delinquency, in addition to imposing high economic and social costs, is an obstacle to the development and dynamism of any society. One of the most important factors in adolescents' tendency towards criminal behavior is the issue of poverty, financial pressure, and relative deprivation. Humans, as demanding actors, have an insatiable nature in achieving their desires and wishes, so that once they achieve a desire, they do not stop and take steps towards meeting newer needs and desires. Now, if these needs are not met or are delayed, this feeling will form in adolescents that they have been deprived of what they deserve. On the other hand, Iran is currently in the transition from tradition to modernity, and this event is causing a gap between tradition and modernity and placing them in a state of anomie and social turmoil. Anomic conditions cause disappointment in meeting needs, and the more unbalanced and inappropriate the level of economic, social, and cultural capital that individuals in society have, the deeper this gap becomes. In these circumstances, people with less capital compare their lives with the reference group in which they live, and if they perceive their situation unfairly in this comparison, they experience relative deprivation and the result of this deprivation will be criminal behavior among this group. Considering the aforementioned explanations, the present study aimed to sociologically investigate the relationship between feelings of relative deprivation and delinquency among adolescents in the city of Quds.
Methods
The quantitative method employed in this study, based on the research objectives, and utilizes a survey approach for data collection. Additionally, it is considered a cross-sectional study in terms of its time frame. The statistical population in this study consists of all adolescents under the age of eighteen in Quds city, Tehran Province, totaling 19,190 individuals (Population and Housing Census, 2016). The sampling method used is stratified random sampling, meaning that after estimating the total sample size, a specific sample for each urban area of Quds was calculated in proportion to its population. The sample size was determined to be 377 individuals using Cochran’s formula. The data collection Tool was a researcher-designed questionnaire, and SPSS software was used for data analysis.
Findings
Based on the results obtained, the average feeling of social deprivation was 18.85, with a standard deviation of 11.14. The average feeling of cultural deprivation was reported as 14.13. The average feeling of economic deprivation was 13.58, with a standard deviation of 24, a minimum value of 6 and a maximum of 19.81. The average feeling of medical deprivation was reported as 12.45. The average relative deprivation felt by the respondents was 68.73, with a standard deviation of 92.28, a maximum value of 84, and a minimum value of 21, with a range of 63. The average score for the vandalism variable was 12.63, with a standard deviation of 62.9. The average score for the theft variable was 13.15. The average score for cybercrime was estimated at 12.83, and the average score for violence was 17.69. The average score for addictive substance use was 13.57. The overall average score for delinquency, with a standard deviation of 32.48, a maximum of 96, and a minimum of 24, was 54.69. According to these results, the levels of vandalism, violence, and drug use were above average. Additionally, the level of delinquency in the studied sample was found to be average. The results of the correlation test revealed a statistically significant linear relationship between all components of relative deprivation, including social deprivation, economic deprivation, cultural deprivation, and medical deprivation, with a significance level of less than 0.01 and 0.05, at 99% and 95% confidence, respectively. This relationship was positive and direct, indicating that as the feeling of relative deprivation and its components increased among adolescents, the rate of delinquency also rose. Conversely, a decrease in the feeling of relative deprivation among the sample resulted in a decrease in delinquency. The results of regression analysis also demonstrated that the variables of economic deprivation, cultural deprivation, social deprivation, and medical deprivation had the greatest impact on the delinquency variable, respectively. Furthermore, these variables explained and predicted 36% of the changes in the dependent variable.
Discussion and Conclusion
The present study was conducted to sociologically examine the relationship between feelings of relative deprivation and delinquency among adolescents in the city of Quds. According to the theory of subcultural explanations, the failures of lower classes in society create a delinquency subculture, where individuals, unable to achieve their goals and desires, tend to engage in criminal activities. People who experience a sense of relative deprivation and perceive legitimate avenues to achieve their goals as closed or futile, form a delinquency subculture and attempt to fulfill their desires through it. The labeling theory suggests that no act is inherently criminal or deviant, nor is any person born a delinquent; rather, the definition of delinquency is constructed by powerful societal institutions. Through these labels and societal definitions imposed on delinquent individuals, deviant behaviors become institutionalized and continue. Gabriel Tarde, based on the theory of imitation, posits that humans are not inherently delinquent but rather imitate the behavior of others. In disadvantaged neighborhoods, delinquent behavior becomes a model, and individuals learn deviance by mimicking others. Albert Cohen similarly suggests that when lower classes fail to achieve their goals, they turn to delinquency in the form of gangs and delinquent groups. Theories related to the feeling of pressure further state that lower-class youth, while desiring legitimate goals, may resort to delinquency as a response to their frustration and anger from not achieving these goals.
Robert Merton associates the feeling of pressure with deviance, arguing that crime and delinquency result from disparities in individuals' positions within the social, economic, and cultural structures of society. When there is a gap between societal goals and the means to achieve them, individuals may resort to deviant behavior. Merton believes that the source of deviance lies in the discrepancy between socially acceptable goals and means and that during times of pressure, not all individuals behave similarly; some may turn to delinquent behaviors as a response to the societal pressures imposed by the economic, social, and cultural structure. According to scholars in the field of relative deprivation, the perception of social injustice, income inequality, and the subsequent comparison of one's living conditions to those of wealthier individuals creates a sense of deprivation. This feeling of deprivation breeds dissatisfaction and a sense of injustice, ultimately leading to delinquency among adolescents. Stouffer argues that relative deprivation is a feeling of dissatisfaction that arises from comparing one’s status and position to reference groups. When individuals perceive themselves as lacking the status or position they deserve in comparison to these groups, they experience relative deprivation. Townsend (2009) emphasizes the importance of individuals' daily routines and leisure activities. He argues that if there is a disconnection between how people engage in these activities—such as visiting entertainment venues or restaurants—and their habits, relative deprivation will be experienced. Davis limits relative deprivation to comparisons within a group, asserting that prosperity increases the expectations of individuals, and when prosperity diminishes, a significant gap forms between desires and achievements, leading to frustration, despair, and deviation. Robert Garr defines relative deprivation as a subjective perception of the difference between value expectations and value capabilities. Value expectations refer to the goods and conditions individuals believe they are entitled to, while value capabilities represent the perceived possibilities of achieving those expectations. The greater the gap between desires and possessions, the greater the sense of relative deprivation, leading to dissatisfaction and, consequently, deviant and criminal behaviors.
In line with the theoretical discussions presented, the feeling of relative deprivation in the city of Quds may contribute to various forms of crime and delinquency due to its specific location, proximity to the metropolis and capital, and the rapid development and social upheaval resulting from the migration of individuals from various cultural backgrounds seeking employment. Studies by Safaei and Alavi (2010), Kord-Alivand and Mobaraki (2018), Eskandari-Cherati (2017), Amini and Ezzati (2017), Abbasi and Saadati (2016), Lohsaizadeh (2012), Keshavarz et al. (2021), and Villa and Salazar (2013) have demonstrated a significant relationship between relative deprivation and juvenile delinquency. Therefore, it can be concluded that the findings of this study align with the results of the aforementioned empirical literature and the theories discussed.
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* Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran.
m.saadati@soc.ikiu.ac.ir
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