Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison01:27

Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison

188
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...
188
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification03:00

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

5.7K
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...
5.7K
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model01:29

Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model

228
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...
228
Social Foundations of Self III: Self-Evaluation01:30

Social Foundations of Self III: Self-Evaluation

157
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...
157
Self-Serving Bias01:29

Self-Serving Bias

168
Self-serving bias is a cognitive phenomenon in which individuals attribute positive outcomes to internal factors such as their abilities, intelligence, or effort while attributing negative outcomes to external circumstances. This cognitive distortion helps maintain self-esteem but can also impede objective self-assessment.Theoretical Explanations of Self-Serving BiasTwo primary theories explain the self-serving bias: the cognitive explanation and the motivational explanation.The cognitive...
168
The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison02:57

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

55.3K
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...
55.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Robust associations of emotional intelligence with human flourishing: A second-order meta-analysis.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Being present: Witnessing landmark historical events boosts meaning in life.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2025
Same author

Narcissism Is Associated With Blunted Error-Related Brain Activity.

Journal of personality·2025
Same author

Combatting Stigma Toward Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders: The Role of Nostalgia.

International journal of older people nursing·2025
Same author

Narcissism in Action: Perceptions, Team Dynamics, and Performance in Naturalistic Escape Room Settings.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

A meta-analytic review and conceptual model of the antecedents and outcomes of goal adjustment in response to striving difficulties.

Nature human behaviour·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 2, 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

1.1K

The better-than-average effect in comparative self-evaluation: A comprehensive review and meta-analysis.

Ethan Zell1, Jason E Strickhouser2, Constantine Sedikides1

  • 1Department of Psychology.

Psychological Bulletin
|December 3, 2019
PubMed
Summary

The better-than-average-effect (BTAE) is a common cognitive bias where individuals see themselves as superior to peers. This meta-analysis confirms the BTAE

More Related Videos

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
07:40

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Published on: May 31, 2021

3.8K
Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits
08:27

Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits

Published on: September 27, 2019

7.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 2, 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

1.1K
Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
07:40

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Published on: May 31, 2021

3.8K
Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits
08:27

Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits

Published on: September 27, 2019

7.2K

Area of Science:

  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Bias Research
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • The better-than-average-effect (BTAE) describes the tendency for individuals to perceive their own traits and abilities as superior to those of their average peer.
  • Understanding the BTAE is crucial for fields ranging from organizational psychology to clinical interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive review and the first quantitative synthesis of the existing literature on the better-than-average-effect.
  • To define the BTAE, distinguish it from related phenomena, and explore its methodological, theoretical, and psychological underpinnings.

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted, synthesizing data from 124 published articles, 291 independent samples, and over 950,000 participants.
  • Moderation analyses were employed to investigate factors influencing the magnitude of the BTAE.

Main Results:

  • The BTAE was found to be a robust effect across studies (dz = 0.78), with minimal evidence of publication bias.
  • The effect was larger for personality traits than abilities, positive than negative dimensions, and varied based on methodological factors and cultural samples (e.g., European Americans vs. East-Asians).
  • The BTAE showed moderate correlations with self-esteem (r = .34) and life satisfaction (r = .33).

Conclusions:

  • The better-than-average-effect is a well-established psychological phenomenon with significant implications for self-perception and well-being.
  • Methodological choices and cultural contexts demonstrably moderate the BTAE, highlighting the need for nuanced research.
  • Further research should address potential publication bias in specific areas of BTAE literature.