Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026
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
1.2K
Social value orientation modulates context-based social comparison preference in the outcome evaluation: An ERP study
Yanyan Qi1, Haiyan Wu1, Syeda Raiha1
1CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioural Science, Institute of Psychology, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
Neuropsychologia
|March 5, 2018
Summary
Social value orientation (SVO) influences how people react to social comparisons, with prosocial individuals showing sensitivity in both win and loss contexts, unlike proself individuals. Interpersonal relationships also impact prosocials' neural responses during social comparison.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Social value orientation (SVO) is a key personality trait influencing social comparison preferences.
- The differential impact of proself versus prosocial SVO on behavior and neural mechanisms in social contexts remains underexplored.
- Understanding individual differences in social comparison is crucial for comprehending social cognition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how different SVO types (proself vs. prosocial) modulate behavior and neural correlates during social comparison.
- To examine the electrophysiological responses (FRN and P300) during a gambling task involving socially liking and disliking players.
- To elucidate the context-dependent nature of SVO in automatic social comparison.
Main Methods:
- Participants with varying SVOs engaged in a gambling game against simulated players with differing social likability.
- Electrophysiological data, specifically feedback-related negativity (FRN) and P300, were recorded.
- Analysis focused on how win/loss outcomes, SVO type, and player likability influenced neural responses.
Main Results:
- Social comparison effects were evident in FRN, modulated by win/loss context and SVO; prosocials showed effects in both self-win and self-loss contexts, while proselfs only showed effects in self-win.
- Both groups exhibited enhanced FRN to a disliked player's loss in a self-win context. Prosocials uniquely showed a more negative FRN to a disliked player's win in a self-loss context.
- A social liking effect, not social comparison, was observed on P300 for prosocials, with increased P300 when winning with a liked player.
Conclusions:
- SVO influences social comparison automatically and context-dependently, reflected in FRN responses.
- Prosocial individuals are more sensitive to others' outcomes across different personal gain/loss scenarios compared to proself individuals.
- Interpersonal relationships significantly affect prosocials' neural processing of wins, highlighting the interplay between social cognition and affective relationships.
Related Concept Videos
02:57The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison
56.2K
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...
56.2K
00:52Social Proof
32.4K
Social proof is a form of persuasion based on comparison and conformity. People compare their behavior and actions to what others are doing and will change to conform to do what their peers do.
32.4K
02:06Social Exchange Theory
40.8K
We have discussed why we form relationships, what attracts us to others, and different types of love. But what determines whether we are satisfied with and stay in a relationship? One theory that provides an explanation is social exchange theory. According to social exchange theory, we act as naïve economists in keeping a tally of the ratio of costs and benefits of forming and maintaining a relationship with others (Rusbult & Van Lange, 2003).
40.8K
01:21Impact of Social Context on Individuals
350
Social psychology examines how the real or imagined presence of others influences individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. A key concept in this field is the role of social context in shaping behavior. The same individual may act differently depending on the social setting, due to the varying expectations and norms associated with each environment. This context-dependent behavior illustrates the influence of social roles, which prescribe appropriate conduct in specific situations.Social...
350
01:41Social Traps
27.0K
Social traps are negative situations where people get caught in a direction or relationship that later proves to be unpleasant, with no easy way to back out of or avoid. The concept was orignally introduced by John Platt who applied psychology to Garrett Hardin's "Tragedy of the Commons", where in New England herd owners could let their cattle graze in the common ground. This situation seems like a good idea, but an individual could have an advantage. If they owned...
27.0K
01:37Social Loafing
39.7K
Another way in which a group presence can affect performance is social loafing—the exertion of less effort by a person working together with a group. Social loafing occurs when our individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group. Thus, group performance declines on easy tasks (Karau & Williams, 1993). Essentially individual group members loaf and let other group members pick up the slack. Because each individual’s efforts cannot be evaluated,...
39.7K