Changing Individual Behavior for Collective Well-Being
Psychology Today | 14.10.2026 00:02
When we, as individuals, encounter situations where we will be made worse off than others, we perceive relative deprivation. And yet, in many such situations, individuals are willing to sacrifice for collective well-being. This is a particularly relevant phenomenon when discussing macroeconomic challenges, such as climate change and public health. How do individuals decide when collective well-being is more important than their perceived relative deprivation? And how can communities organize with the understanding of the limitations of individual willingness to sacrifice?
