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Comparing You = Comparing Me: Social Comparisons of the Expanded Self
Sabrina Thai1, Penelope Lockwood2
1University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada sabrina.thai@mail.utoronto.ca.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|June 3, 2015
Summary
Individuals high in self-other overlap protect partner perceptions by downplaying domain relevance after upward social comparisons. This self-protective strategy, seen in romantic partners and close friends, is absent in those with low self-other overlap.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Relationship Science
- Self-Perception Theory
Background:
- Social comparison theory explains how individuals evaluate themselves by comparing to others.
- Understanding how these comparisons extend to close relationships, like romantic partnerships, is crucial for relationship satisfaction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if individuals process romantic partner comparisons similarly to self-comparisons.
- To explore the role of self-other overlap in moderating responses to partner-other social comparisons.
Main Methods:
- Four studies (N=2,210) utilized recalled and actual comparisons of attractiveness and relationship skills.
- Participants were categorized based on their level of self-other overlap.
- Domain relevance and global partner perceptions were measured.
Main Results:
- Individuals high in self-other overlap reduced domain relevance after upward partner comparisons, preserving positive partner views.
- This effect was specific to upward comparisons and absent in individuals low in self-other overlap.
- The findings extended to best friends but not casual friends, mediated by self-other overlap.
Conclusions:
- Individuals integrate romantic partners into their self-identity, leading them to experience partner-other comparisons as self-relevant.
- Self-other overlap is a key factor in employing self-protective strategies in social comparisons involving close others.
- These findings highlight the psychological merging that occurs in close relationships.
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