As with previous research, the findings of the present study indicate that social comparison theory contributes to our understanding of adolescents' body image perceptions. Moreover, social comparison processes are … Indeed, subsequent research has lent further empirical support to Schachter's contention that social comparison via affiliation can produce a reduction in fear (Cottrell & Epiey, 1977; Teichman, 1973). For example, in the field of paleoclimatology, researchers have compared cores taken from sediments deposited millions … People who reported more frequent social comparison spent more time on Facebook, had more friends, and saw proportionally more social content on the site. The present research integrates social comparison theory with research on the interpersonal exchange of consumption information to provide valuable insight into consumers' willingness to lie. Social Comparison Theory The theory that I had chosen to discuss and research about would happen to be the Social Comparison Theory. The authors found that people generally tend to choose an upward (rather than downward) comparison target and, surprisingly, that threat leads to increased upward comparisons. Handbook of social comparison: Theory and research. But it can also make people feel worse about themselves, like they’re not as good as everybody else. After four decades of research, the topic of social comparison is more popular than ever. Social comparison theory has been increasingly used in quantitative research to understand the processes through which societal messages about appearance influence adolescents' body image. Social comparison is thus a critical psychological phenomenon essential to understanding both social behavior and formation of identity. For example, in childhood games, if someone shouts, “First one to the tree is the coolest-person-in the-world!” then the children who are nearest the tree will tug and pull at each other for the lead. View Social Comparison Research Papers on Academia.edu for free. Social comparison activity is one of the most important spheres of human functioning; it is necessary for appraising where one stands within his or her community and for establishing viable routes for connecting with others. Such comparisons typically occur with others that are better, yet similar in relevant attributes, and in domains that leave room for personal progress. Contrary to the original theory or subsequent research, (a) the individual is not always an unbiased self-evaluator but may seek many goals through social … After four decades of research, the topic of social comparison is more popular than ever. A major problem in comparative research is that the data sets in different countries may define categories differently (for example by using different definitions of poverty ) or may not use the same categories. Social comparison and academic achievement Research has focused on both upward (with a more capable person) and downward (with a less capable person) comparisons. social comparison worldwide and the range of associated be-haviors on social media, a survey of 38,000 people from 18 countries was paired with logged activity on Facebook for the prior month. Sometimes these behaviors make us feel better, and they can be motivating; however, they can also lead to detrimental side effects. In SNSs, social comparison is ubiquitous because comparison … Comparative research is a research methodology in the social sciences that aims to make comparisons across different countries or cultures. A Theory of Social Comparison Processes, Retrieved September 12, 2007, from hum.sagepub.com database A Theory of Social Comparison Processes Leon Festinger∗ In this paper we shall present a further development of a previously published theory concerning opinion influence processes in social groups (7). Social media research is the process of analyzing social media data to conduct quantitative (and at times qualitative) research in order to understand how audiences relate to topics, by using tools and data extraction techniques. SocialCompare. (1991). We show that if agents compare themselves to those who are receiving higher payoffs then in stable outcomes all payoffs must be equal. Much of Professor Mussweiler’s research focuses on social comparison processes – he examines how comparing with others changes people’s self-image, their motivation and performance. It seems very likely that that trend will continue in the future and perhaps expand to include more work using techniques from the area of social neuroscience (e.g., brain imaging during comparison). The research on how social comparisons influence the self have been. mixed. But it can also make people feel worse about themselves, like they’re not as good as everybody else. .Social comparison: Contemporary theory and research. On the pro-social comparison side, Taylor and her colleagues have found that cancer patients sometimes construct imagined “supercopers” as a source of inspiration (Taylor & Lobel, 1989). Types of Social Comparison According to Stangor, the theory of social comparison suggests that when individuals have a choice, they more often than not choose the people or groups of people to use for comparison. He called this process social comparison theory. The research about social comparisons is complex and equivocal. It’s also linked to depression. Both research areas, social and scientific, are crucial in understanding the social and natural phenomena and generating new knowledge; however, there is difference between social research and scientific research in many aspects. First, people compare with others in order to gain self-knowledge and reduce uncertainty. According to Festinger’s similarity hypothesis, people prefer to compare themselves with others who are similar to themselves. Research on the Selection and Effects of Downward Social Comparisons. The natural scientist bases all his analysis on the data he or she gathers through scientific methods. Social comparison in the real world usually involves the self and a few others, while the digital universe of social media presents almost limitless potential for people to compare themselves against others. Prior research indicated that social comparison could make people feel socially anxious. Festinger’s social comparison theory proposed that people who compare themselves with those who are similar to them typically produce accurate appraisals of their capabilities and beliefs. Festinger argued that humans have a drive to evaluate their opinions and abilities. P. Comparisons that fulfill this function typically occur with similar others, are biased toward comparing with those slightly better off, and are sensitive to diagnosticity that information about others carries for oneself. Moreover, they may be experienced through interaction, subjectively constructed in one’s mind, or deliberately orchestrated in order to impact others. People make all kinds of judgments about themselves, and one of the key ways that we do this is through social comparison, or analyzing the self in relation to others. A second scenario in which comparative studies are common is when the physical scale or timeline of a question may prevent experimentation. Abstract. Social comparison is a fundamental psychological process governing how people think about themselves or others. When objective standards for self-evaluation are unavailable, he said, they compare themselves with other people. Prior research indicated that social comparison could make people feel socially anxious. Psychological Bulletin, 106, 231-248. Log in. Social comparison is a fundamental psychological process governing how people think about themselves or others. Social comparison research has some very well defined experimental procedures, and the authors narrowed down an initial 1200 papers to 145 that met their strictest method requirements. The social comparison theory (Festinger, 1954) is the idea that there is a drive within individuals to look to outside images in order to evaluate their own opinions and abilities. The question of whether a method truly captures social comparison requires a clear understanding of what social comparison is; hence a definition of social comparison is proposed, multiple ancillary processes in social comparison are identified, and definitional controversies are … One of the key ways in which People make judgments about themselves, is through social comparison, or analyzing the self in relation to others. In addition, they evaluate their own position in life with reference to other’s positions, look to others for information about social norms and for clues about how to behave, and experience feelings toward others based on implications of mutual differences for their relationship. At the core of his theory is the idea that people come to know about themselves—their own abilities, successes, and personality—by comparing themselves with others. People rarely accomplish their tasks without actually comparing their abilities with those of friends, age-mates, work-mates, and close family members. Over time, one initial theoretical article developed into a broader field with links to social cognition, individual differences, developmental psychology, and experimental social psychology. Although social comparison research has suggested that upward comparisons can lower self-regard, Collins indicates that this is not always the case. Such comparisons occur through regular social interaction as individuals emphasize mutual similarities, through creation of comparisons to protect or embolden others, and through selection of social identities that maximize a sense of group belonging. Comparisons are made based on unique attributes, such as, age, gender, eye color, and height. One consequence of this is an increase in competitive behavior. Scientists do researches on the physical aspects of the world whereas social scientists conduct … A major problem in comparative research is that the data sets in different countries may define categories differently (for example by using different definitions of poverty ) or may not use the same categories. Social comparison has been a continuously active research topic in social and personality psychology since 1954. To this end, individuals look to similar … Laboratory experiments have shown that people who are threatened in some way make downward social comparisons—or at least, fewer upward social comparisons. It highlights that a better understanding of enhancement appraisals should be used to guide health promotion efforts on an individual's body image. Social comparison theory has evolved considerably since Festinger (1954) originally proposed it. Social comparison theory has evolved considerably since Festinger (1954) originally proposed it. Early research in social psychology on level of aspiration and on reference groups contributed to Leon Festinger’s social comparison theory, which he proposed in 1954. The experiences elicited from participants emphasize the complexities involved in assessing influences and understanding the mechanisms through which they work. Social comparison in the real world usually involves the self and a few others, while the digital universe of social media presents almost limitless potential for people to compare themselves against others. At the same time, government departments and research funding bodies have shown a growing interest in international comparisons, particularly in the social policy area, often as a means of evaluating the solutions adopted for dealing with common problems or to assess the transferability of policies between member states. In short, the major differences between social science research and natural science research lie more in the object than in the subject. Our research primarily focused on the type of social comparison that can make people feel worse about themselves on social media. Some research argues that upward comparisons inspire assimilation, whereas other research argues that upward comparisons lead to feelings of inferiority and a low self-concept. Prior research on the relationship between social media and social comparison spans several themes reviewed below. To this end, individuals look to similar others to evaluate their own abilities and opinions, look to those better than themselves for inspiration and guidance, and evaluate others depending on similarities and distinctions with the self. Overview . Social comparison can be a good thing when it’s inspirational or motivational. Fourth and final, people compare in order to connect socially with others. Social comparisons are normal – we all engage in these behaviors. Suls, J., & Wills, T. A. Social comparison is a common human dynamic that first rears its head when children are very small, in the days of toddlers wanting whatever toy is in the hands of the kid next to them. Social Comparison Social comparison theory was first proposed in 1954 by psychologist Leon Festinger and suggested that people have an innate drive to evaluate themselves, often in comparison to others. Social Comparison Theory Research Paper. Leon Festinger formulated a theory in 1954 referred to as social comparison theory, which has played a major role in understanding the behavior of individuals in the current society. This article examines frequently used measures and procedures in social comparison research. For example, comparing the writing ability of two people in the same age group is more sensible than comparing the writing ability of an adult to a child. Social comparison is the process by which people establish, maintain, refine, or embellish their self-concepts. Much of that research has been consistent with Wills’s original propositions. Third, people compare in order to self-improve, namely, boost their skills and abilities. Social comparison theory states that in the absence of objective measures for self-evaluation, we compare ourselves to others to find out how … Research has exhibited that an individual possessing an enhanced view of one’s self-concept through social comparison tends to lead to extremely favorable outcomes. Social networking sites (SNSs), such as Facebook, provide abundant social comparison opportunities. These images may be a reference to physical reality or in comparison to other people. (Eds.). Social comparison consists of people’s biological inclination to evaluate their situation, skill, and overall identity in comparison to others, based on the information they receive about others (Festinger, 1954). Social comparison can be a good thing when it’s inspirational or motivational. Festinger’s social comparison theory proposed that people who compare themselves with those who are similar to them typically produce accurate appraisals of their capabilities and beliefs. Social comparison theory determines our worth based on others. These comparisons can be divided into two basic categories. Our research primarily focused on the type of social comparison that can make people feel worse about themselves on social media. You do not currently have access to this article, Access to the full content requires a subscription. The crowsourced collaborative comparison engine to create and share comparison tables. Still, one pattern seems clear: The outcome of social comparisons hinges on who we are, who we are comparing ourselves to, and what we want … It’s also linked to depression. (2010) showed that in 95% of cases students socially compared with a student of the same gender. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a single article for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice). New York: Plenum. In one category, we consider social norms and the opinions of others. scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. (Eds.). Clearly, social comparison research has been strengthened considerably by employing social cognitive techniques and models such as those described here. Printed from Oxford Research Encyclopedias, Psychology. Social comparison consists of people’s biological inclination to evaluate their situation, skill, and overall identity in comparison to others, based on the information they receive about others (Festinger, 1954). In an extensive study lasting two years, Wehrens et al. Specifi… Research suggests that social comparison involves the proximity of a standard—such as the #1 ranking or other qualitative threshold. Clearly, social comparison research has been strengthened considerably by employing social cognitive techniques and models such as those described here. Social comparison is thus a critical psychological phenomenon essential to understanding both social behavior and formation of identity. This book is based on my lecture materials developed over a decade of teaching the doctoral-level class on Research Methods at the University of South Florida. Social comparison theory is the idea that individuals determine their own social and personal worth based on how they stack up against others. It gains momentum in elementary school when kids follow fads, and it’s noticed when someone isn’t watching the same shows or playing the same games as everyone else. Given the opport… Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Social comparison is an important, if not central, characteristic of human social life. Theory and research concerning social comparisons of personal attributes. According to research, when individuals want to compare themselves, they more less settle for other individuals who are similar to themselves on relevant dimension. (2000). The Social comparison theory was a theory initially proposed by psychologist Leon Festinger in 1954, it centers on how individuals evaluate their own opinions and abilities by comparing themselves to others in order to reduce uncertainty in these areas and learn how to define themselves. With regards to questions about identity, the average person responds by comparing himself to others. The question of whether a method truly captures social comparison requires a clear understanding of what social comparison is; hence a definition of social comparison is proposed, multiple ancillary processes in social comparison are identified, and definitional controversies are … For example, comparing the writing ability of two people in the same age group is more sensible than comparing the writing ability of an adult to a child. This captures the phenomenon of social comparison via reference groups. Instead, his research was a comparison of the unknown "pygmie" to humans and apes in order to determine the relationship between them. We are impacted by others through comparing ourselves with them, especially with the social media we wish our lives to be more exciting and glamorous as those portrayed in the media. However, if … Comparisons that fulfill this function often involve contrasting oneself from those worse off, although they can also involve perceiving similarities with superior others, especially when these are role models or close others. They This article integrates these changes with insights offered by recent social comparison studies and by research on social cognition and the self. Our research agrees with Locke’s finding that women who make more upward social comparisons can have lower confidence, as we found that to be true in areas such as numeracy and hard IT skills, which may also be perceived as more masculine domains. If, however, agents’ aspirations are driven by less ambitious social comparisons then very unequal distributions can be stable. Social comparison theory was first proposed in 1954 by psychologist Leon Festinger and suggested that people have an innate drive to evaluate themselves, often in comparison to others. Complexities of social comparison activity are commensurate with multiple functions that they serve. However, it is important to point out that the person compares himself to people that are in his immediate vicinity. Comparative research is a research methodology in the social sciences that aims to make comparisons across different countries or cultures. Because of the adaptive value of adequately sizing up one's competitors, the need to compare oneself with others is phylogenetically very old, biologically very powerful, and recognizable in many species (Gilbert, Price, & Allan, 1995). Some themes relate to how often opportunities for comparison present themselves. This article integrates these changes with insights offered by recent social comparison studies and by research on social cognition and the self. The purpose of a research is to generate new knowledge. Comparison of objects, events, and situations is integral to judgment; comparisons of the self with other people comprise one of the building blocks of human conduct and experience. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Clinical Psychology: Disorders and Therapies, Organizational and Institutional Psychology, A Brief History of Modern Social Comparison Theory and Research, Targets and Consequences of Social Comparisons, https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.251. Social comparison activity is one of the most important spheres of human functioning; it is necessary for appraising where one stands within his or her community and for establishing viable routes for connecting with others. Wayment and Bauer (2008) introduced the notion that past research has perhaps oversimplified the concept of downward social comparison.The identification-contrast model shows that social comparison can be positive or negative, depending on whether individuals identify with or contrast themselves against other people (Buunk et al., 2001; Carmona et al., 2006). Indeed, subsequent research has lent further empirical support to Schachter's contention that social comparison via affiliation can produce a reduction in fear (Cottrell & Epiey, 1977; Teichman, 1973). Suls, J., & Wheeler, L. Social comparison theory is the idea that individuals determine their own social and personal worth based on how they stack up against others. P. 4Research in which people compare themselves to hypothetical others or to abstract standards also questions the pervasiveness of social comparisons. These findings advance our understanding of the origins of social comparison and highlight the essential role of comparison for the development of social life. The current research is a step in this direction—we show that social comparison is linked to cultural practices that promote strong norms and punishment for deviance (tightness) and those that promote relational self-construal (collectivism). In 1954, psychologist Leon Festinger hypothesized that people compare themselves to others in order to fulfill a basic human desire: the need for self-evaluation. You could not be signed in, please check and try again. Social comparison theory states that in the absence of objective measures for self-evaluation, we compare ourselves to others to find out how we're doing. social comparison research has enjoyed a resurgence recently: Over 100 journal articles on social comparison have appeared since 1982, which is almost three times the number published in the theory's first 12 years (Radloff& Bard, 1966). Given the widespread use of SNSs, the purpose of the present set of studies was to examine the impact of chronic and temporary exposure to social media-based social comparison information on self-esteem. A Theory of Social Comparison Processes, Retrieved September 12, 2007, from hum.sagepub.com database A Theory of Social Comparison Processes Leon Festinger∗ In this paper we shall present a further development of a previously published theory concerning opinion influence processes in social groups (7). Wood, J. V. (1989). It seems very likely that that trend will continue in the future and perhaps expand to include more work using techniques from the area of social neuroscience (e.g., brain imaging during comparison). The natural scientist bases all his analysis on the data he or she gathers through scientific methods. This renders the nature of social comparisons complex; they take horizontal forms that focus on connections or distinction, as well as vertical forms that focus on superiority or inferiority. In SNSs, social comparison … This article examines frequently used measures and procedures in social comparison research. Second, people compare with others in order to self-enhance and protect well-being. In short, the major differences between social science research and natural science research lie more in the object than in the subject. 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