SOCIAL IDENTITY, RELATIVE DEPRIVATION, AND COPING WITH THE THREAT OF POSITION LOSS - A FIELD-STUDY AMONG NATIVE SHOPKEEPERS IN AMSTERDAM

The present study investigates how native shopkeepers in Amsterdam res pond to the threat experienced by the emergence of immigrant stores. A survey among 101 native shopkeepers confirmed that psychological, rat her than instrumental, considerations play an important role. First, p erceptions of fraternal deprivation were relatively independent of the amount of egoistical deprivation people perceived. Instead, the exper ience of fraternal deprivation was related to people's identification as native shopkeepers. Second, egoistical deprivation resulted in nega tive perceptions of all other entrepreneurs, regardless of their ethni c origin. Third, regardless of perceived egoistical deprivation, nativ e shopkeepers were more likely to discredit immigrant entrepreneurs, a s they thought they were more fraternally deprived.