RELATIVE DEPRIVATION AND PARTICIPATION IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

The extent to which different patterns of relative deprivation may be differentially associated with a variety of movement tactics is explored. Value expectations refer to the goods & conditions of life to which one feels entitled, & value capabilities refer to those that one feels capable of getting & keeping. There is a difference in perception of relative deprivation depending upon the subject of the comparison. There is aspirational deprivation where an inability to achieve at a level commensurate with societally induced aspirations occurs, & a progressive deprivation which consists of the conjunction of "rising expectations" with perception of "blocked opportunities." Data were collected in the Summer of 1964 through questionnaires administered to all students enrolled in sociology classes at the black Florida A&M U. Items were included designed to tap participation in the civil rights movement. Although only 35% of the participants were M, these S's tended to be more active participants. SE origins proved to be unrelated to participation. Aspirational deprivation with blacks as S's does appear to be related to civil rights participation. Perception of aspirational deprivation of group appears to be more salient than perception of aspirational deprivation of self in stimulating protest activity. Neither perception of past progress nor pessimism about future prospects appears to be associated with participation. There is little probability that progressive deprivation can be used to explain participation. Reference group satisfaction of self relative to other blacks appears to be associated with participation. The most significant reference group comparison made by blacks is with other blacks. Different types of relative deprivation are associated with participation at different stages of a movement. 1 Table, 1 Figure. S. Coler.