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Related Concept Videos

Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison01:27

Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison

Social comparison plays a fundamental role in the evaluation of personal success and self-worth. Rather than assessing our achievements in isolation, we interpret their significance relative to personal goals and critically in comparison to the performance of others. A grade of B in a mathematics exam might elicit pride if one's expectation was a C, yet result in disappointment if an A was anticipated or if peers achieved superior results. These comparative evaluations illustrate how both...
The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison02:57

The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison

According to Charles Cooley, we base our image on what we think other people see (Cooley 1902). We imagine how we must appear to others, then react to this speculation. We don certain clothes, prepare our hair in a particular manner, wear makeup, use cologne, and the like—all with the notion that our presentation of ourselves is going to affect how others perceive us. We expect a certain reaction, and, if lucky, we get the one we desire and feel good about it. But more than that, Cooley...
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model01:29

Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model

The Self-Evaluation Maintenance (SEM) model offers a psychological framework to understand how individuals’ self-esteem is influenced by the achievements of others, particularly those with whom they share close personal bonds. The SEM model operates when personal rather than social identity guides individuals. Central to this model is the notion that individuals have an inherent desire to preserve a favorable self-image, which is continuously shaped by interpersonal comparisons and...
Social Identity01:29

Social Identity

Social identity constitutes a significant aspect of an individual’s self-concept, shaped by membership in various social groups, including gender, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and political affiliation. Individuals associate specific traits with particular social groups, leading to internalization of these traits. For example, musicians are often perceived as creative, while women are frequently associated with nurturing tendencies. Once individuals identify with a particular...
Self-Discrepancy Theory02:45

Self-Discrepancy Theory

One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification03:00

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2026

The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
08:24

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Published on: August 25, 2023

Self-construal and social comparison effects.

Rebecca Wing-yi Cheng1, Shui-fong Lam

  • 1Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. rwycheng@hkusua.hku.hk

The British Journal of Educational Psychology
|April 7, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Social comparison effects on student self-evaluation depend on self-construal. Independent self-construal shows a contrast effect, while interdependent self-construal attenuates it.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Educational Psychology

Background:

  • Social comparison theory typically posits contrast effects: upward comparisons lower self-evaluation, and downward comparisons elevate it.
  • However, the influence of self-construal on these effects is not fully understood.
  • Self-construal, encompassing independent and interdependent orientations, may moderate social comparison outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • This study examined self-construal as a moderator of social comparison effects on student self-evaluation within authentic classroom settings.
  • Investigated how different self-construal types influence responses to upward and downward social comparisons.

Main Methods:

  • A 2x2 between-subjects experimental design was utilized.
  • Participants included 96 seventh-grade Chinese students from Hong Kong.

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  • The study manipulated self-construal (independent vs. interdependent) and comparison standard (upward vs. downward), measuring self-evaluation.

    • Main Results:

    • A significant interaction was found between self-construal and comparison standard on self-evaluation.
    • Students with activated independent self-construal exhibited contrast effects (higher self-evaluation in downward, lower in upward comparison).
    • Students with activated interdependent self-construal showed an attenuated contrast effect, reporting high self-evaluation in both comparison conditions.

    Conclusions:

    • The impact of social comparison on self-evaluation is contingent upon the salience of independent or interdependent self-construal.
    • Classroom environments can influence which self-construal is activated, thereby shaping students' responses to social comparisons.