College 7

Question 1

comparison factors

Answer 1

1. what is the dimension (or range) of comparison?
2. what are the target and the standard of the comparison (what am I comparing to what)?
3. What is the direction of the comparison (target > standard or target < standard)?
4. Motive of comparison (feeling good vs. being accurate)

Question 2

similarity hypothesis

Answer 2

A hypothesis which states that we tend to be attracted towards individuals who share similar important traits, such as attitudes and values.
> predicts that we look to first confirm our
similarity to desired social categories, and subsequently our dissimilarity to undesired ones.

Question 3

the process of comparison

Answer 3

1. determine the boundaries of the scale
2. confirm similarity with those better off
3. confirm dissimilarity with those worse off
   > implies that people look for maximally diagnostic information

Question 4

self-enhancement

Answer 4

people want to feel good about themselves = down-ward comparisons

Question 5

self-evaluation

Answer 5

people want reliable information about themselves = even comparisons

Question 6

self-improvement

Answer 6

people want to get better = upward comparisons

Question 7

self-evaluation maintenance model

Answer 7

one’s self-concept can be threatened by others’ superior performance
The model predicts that this impact depends on:
1. closeness - similarity in gender, age, study
2. domain relevance - whether the domain is important

Question 8

basking in reflected glory

Answer 8

domain of similarity = not relevant - no threat to self

Question 9

self-deflation

Answer 9

domain of similarity is relevant - threatening to self

Question 10

the consequences of upward comparisons depend on:

Answer 10

1. domain relevance (is it important to me)
2. realistic attainability of the success (can I even sing/ dance that well?)

Question 11

The selective accessibility model

Answer 11

explains the process of how we make social comparisons from a social-cognitive perspective
> and explains how these processes will affect our judgements about the target to be compared to a standard

Question 12

comparison in ads

Answer 12

1. by definition, effective ads have high relevance
2. ads usually present upward /superior standards
3. ads aim for assimilation

Question 13

contrast effects

Answer 13

Our perception is altered once we start to compare things to one another. We tend to judge them relative to each other rather than on their own merit.
Example: presenting a dissimilar standard (like unrealistic beauty) leads to dissimilarity testing (“I am especially unattractive”)

Question 14

assimilation effects

Answer 14

” I rate myself as more similar to a standard”