Social comparisons

Question 1

What is the social comparison theory (Festinger 1954)

Answer 1

Humans rely on social comparison to evaluate their abilities and options when objective standards of comparison are lacking. We make comparisons when there’s not a standard to measure ourselves against and we compare ourselves to similar people

Question 2

What is upward social comparison

Answer 2

The process of comparing ourselves to people who are better than we are in a trait or ability. This highlights areas of self-improvement and provides us inspiration

Question 3

What is downward social comparison

Answer 3

The process of comparing ourselves to people who are worse than we are in a particular trait or ability. This enhances and protects well-being by highlighting how much better off we are than others

Question 4

What are the functions of social comparison x4

Answer 4

1. ) self-knowledge (learn something about ourselves
2. ) Self-enhancement (feel better about ourselves / increase self-worth)
3. ) self-improvement (improve a skill or trait)
4. ) social connection (form intimate connections with others)

Question 5

What are the consequences of social comparison (eating behaviour)

Answer 5

If someone eats something more unhealthy we have downward social comparison encouraging you to eat more.
Also has evolutionary perspective as if we get less food we may fee weaker and less able to survive.

Question 6

Describe a study into social media and self-esteem

Answer 6

Participants were exposed to social media sites with a upward or downward social comparison status. They manipulated the pictures to look healthy or unhealthy and more or less popular. PPS had poorer relative self-evaluation after an upward (desirable) comparison than a downward (undesirable) comparison.