Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 27, 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

1.4K

Neural patterns underlying social comparisons of personal performance.

Michael Lindner1, Sarah Rudorf2, Robert Birg3

  • 1Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, Nachtigallenweg 86, 53127 Bonn, Germany, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 7BE, United Kingdom, Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany, Life&Brain Center, Department of NeuroCognition, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, Nachtigallenweg 86, 53127 Bonn, Germany, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 7BE, United Kingdom, Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany, Life&Brain Center, Department of NeuroCognition, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany klaus.fliessbach@ukb.uni-bonn.de.

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
|June 21, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Social comparison of performance activates distinct brain regions. Upward comparisons engage the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior insula, while downward comparisons involve the ventral striatum and medial orbitofrontal cortex.

Keywords:
downward comparisonfMRIperformanceself-evaluationsocial comparison

More Related Videos

Decoding Natural Behavior from Neuroethological Embedding08:00

Decoding Natural Behavior from Neuroethological Embedding

Published on: October 3, 2025

886
Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Observing Virtual Social Interactions10:45

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Observing Virtual Social Interactions

Published on: July 6, 2011

11.2K

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...
388
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...
41.7K
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...
419
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback01:24

Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback

Self-esteem is intricately tied to our perception of competence and our ability to exert control over our lives. One of the primary sources of this perception is performance feedback — the ongoing evaluation of our actions in terms of success and failure. According to Franks and Marolla (1976), people derive self-worth from experiencing themselves as causal agents, capable of achieving goals and overcoming obstacles. This process nurtures a critical component of self-esteem:...
230
Social Foundations of Self III: Self-Evaluation01:30

Social Foundations of Self III: Self-Evaluation

Self-evaluation is the process by which individuals assess their abilities, behaviors, and characteristics based on feedback from others. Charles H. Cooley observed that a person’s self-perception is primarily influenced by how others see and judge them. He suggested that individuals form their identities based on their interpretations of others' reactions. As a result, social interactions play a crucial role in shaping self-esteem and personal identity. These external evaluations often...
264
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...
4.7K