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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...
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...
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...
Principle of Equivalence01:18

Principle of Equivalence

According to Albert Einstein (1897-1955), free-falling and feeling weightless are intrinsically linked. If a person were in free-fall under gravity, for example, diving towards the Earth from an airplane, they would feel completely weightless. Similarly, a person descending in a lift may feel partially weightless. Broadly speaking, it is assumed that an object in a uniform gravitational field and an object undergoing constant acceleration in the absence of gravity are under the same...
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.
Causes of Similarity-Dissimilarity Effect01:26

Causes of Similarity-Dissimilarity Effect

The similarity-dissimilarity effect, a fundamental concept in social psychology, explains how interpersonal similarities and differences influence attraction and social interactions. This effect is supported by three key psychological perspectives: balance theory, social comparison theory, and consensual validation.Balance Theory and Cognitive ConsistencyBalance theory, developed by Fritz Heider, posits that individuals seek cognitive consistency in their relationships. When two people share...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

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

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

Published on: August 25, 2023

Superiority, equivalence or non-inferiority?

Andrea Cipriani1, Francesca Girlanda, Corrado Barbui

  • 1Department of Medicine and Public Health, Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. andrea.cipriani@univr.it

Epidemiologia E Psichiatria Sociale
|February 23, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Choosing the right comparator is critical for clinical psychopharmacology randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This decision impacts study validity and can be designed as superiority, equivalence, or non-inferiority trials.

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Area of Science:

  • Clinical Psychopharmacology
  • Clinical Trial Design
  • Research Methodology

Background:

  • The selection of an appropriate comparator is a critical factor in designing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) within clinical psychopharmacology.
  • This choice significantly influences both the internal and external validity of the study findings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the importance of comparator selection in clinical psychopharmacology RCTs.
  • To outline the different types of RCT designs based on comparator choice: superiority, equivalence, and non-inferiority trials.

Main Methods:

  • Discussion of the implications of comparator choice on study validity.
  • Categorization of RCTs into three main types based on the comparator: superiority, equivalence, and non-inferiority.

Main Results:

  • Comparator choice directly affects the interpretation of efficacy and validity in clinical trials.
  • Three primary RCT designs emerge based on comparator selection: superiority, equivalence, and non-inferiority.

Conclusions:

  • Strategic selection of comparators is essential for robust clinical psychopharmacology research.
  • Understanding trial types (superiority, equivalence, non-inferiority) ensures appropriate study design and valid conclusions.