Individual Differences in Social Comparison

2019 ◽  
pp. 77-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abraham P. Buunk ◽  
Frederick X. Gibbons ◽  
Pieternel Dijkstra ◽  
Zlatan Krizan
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Physical Attractiveness ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Future Prospects ◽  
Personality Variables ◽  
Work And Organizations ◽  
Comparison Information

Individuals differ considerably in their social comparison orientation (SCO), that is, the extent to which and the frequency with which they compare themselves with others. In this chapter, the major findings with the scale assessing SCO are discussed. After presenting the basic psychometric properties of the scale and the relationships with various personality variables, the authors discuss how SCO is related to, among others, seeking upward and downward social comparison information, to establishing one’s risk, and to assessing one’s future prospects. Next, we present particularly the role of SCO in moderating the effects of upward and downward social comparison information with respect to a variety of contexts and dimensions, including close relationships, ageing, work and organizations, depression, health, and physical attractiveness. Special attention is paid to the question if SCO fosters identification and assimilation rather than contrast.

Interest as the Missing Motivator in Self-Regulation

2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Sansone ◽  
Dustin B. Thoman
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Goal Pursuit ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Goal Striving ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
And Performance

Abstract. Typically, models of self-regulation include motivation in terms of goals. Motivation is proposed to fluctuate according to how much individuals value goals and expect to attain them. Missing from these models is the motivation that arises from the process of goal-pursuit. We suggest that an important aspect of self-regulation is monitoring and regulating our motivation, not just our progress toward goals. Although we can regulate motivation by enhancing the value or expectancy of attaining the outcome, we suggest that regulating the interest experience can be just as, if not more, powerful. We first present our model, which integrates self-regulation of interest within the goal-striving process. We then briefly review existing evidence, distinguishing between two broad classes of potential interest-enhancing strategies: intrapersonal and interpersonal. For each class of strategies we note what is known about developmental and individual differences in whether and how these kinds of strategies are used. We also discuss implications, including the potential trade-offs between regulating interest and performance, and how recognizing the role of the interest experience may shed new light on earlier research in domains such as close relationships, psychiatric disorders, and females' choice to drop out of math and science.

Social Comparison Before, During, and After the Competition

2019 ◽  
pp. 105-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Garcia ◽  
Zachary A. Reese ◽  
Avishalom Tor
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Social Norms ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Individual Factors ◽  
Competitive Behavior ◽  
The Social ◽  
Upward Comparison ◽  
Entry Decisions

This chapter provides an overview of the interplay between social comparison and competition before, during, and after the competition. Competition is defined broadly to include an act or process of competition, explicit or implicit, linked to basic social comparison processes. Before the competition, the authors consider the lessons of the social comparison literature on motives, individual differences, cultural and social norms, and competition entry decisions. The authors then review relevant findings on the role of individual factors (personal and relational) as well as situational factors that affect motivation and competitive behavior during the competition. Finally, the chapter examines the social comparison literature on downward comparison, upward comparison, and competition re-entry decisions after the competition.

Follow-up effects of social comparison information on the quality of life of cancer patients: The moderating role of social comparison orientation

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abraham P. Buunk ◽  
Femke T.C. Bennenbroek ◽  
Heidi E. Stiegelis ◽  
Alfons C.M. van den Bergh ◽  
Robbert Sanderman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Social Comparison Orientation ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Comparison Information

Non-Linguistic Factors in Oral Language Productivity

1969 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 871-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith D. Gall ◽  
Amos K. Hobby ◽  
Kenneth H. Craik
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Oral Language ◽  
Specific Role ◽  
Visual Displays ◽  
Significant Extent ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Personality Variables ◽  
Degree Of Stability ◽  
High Degree

Individual differences in oral language productivity were assessed by word counts of Ss' spoken descriptions of 9 different visual displays. Women attained higher word counts than men in 8 of their 9 descriptions, in 3 instances to a statistically significant extent. Individual differences in oral language productivity showed a moderately high degree of stability across situations. The pattern of correlations between oral language productivity and personality variables differed in the samples of men and women. The sex-specific and situation-specific role of personality variables in oral language productivity is illustrated and discussed.

scholarly journals Psychometric properties of instruments of measurement of social comparison orientation

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-130
Author(s):  
T.N. Savchenko ◽  
E.S. Samoylenko ◽  
A.V. Korbut
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
External Validity ◽  
American English ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Social Comparison Orientation

In the article, the results of a comparative analysis of psychometric properties of the Iowa-Netherlands Social Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) (Gibbons, Buunk, 1999) versions administered to different cultural samples (American, English, Dutch, German and Russian), and Russian Social Comparison Orientation Questionnaire (RSCOQ) (Samoylenko, 2012, in Russian) are presented. For the INCOM versions, similarity in their high reliability and differences in their factor structures as well as in the ways to measure their construct and external validity were revealed. For the INCOM and RSCOQ, significant positive associations between their comparison orientaion total measures as well as their separate factors were revealed. This means a possibility to combine the two instruments when testing individual differences in social comparison orientation.

Social Comparisons and Contentment

1994 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne H. Bylsma ◽  
Brenda Major
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Social Comparisons ◽  
Pay Satisfaction ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Disadvantaged Groups ◽  
Comparison Information

This study explored the role of social comparison processes in fostering contentment among those who are objectively disadvantaged. We focus on how comparisons can produce gender differences in personal entitlement, perceptions of one's own performance, and pay satisfaction. We hypothesized that individuals would base judgments of entitlement, performance, and pay satisfaction more on comparisons with ingroup (same-sex) than outgroup (cross-sex) others, even when both types of comparison information were equally available, unavoidable, and made clear the disadvantaged status of the ingroup. As predicted, the amount students felt they were entitled to be paid, how well they thought they had performed (women only), and how satisfied they were with their pay were all influenced more by same-sex than cross-sex comparison information. The implications of these results for the tolerance of injustice among disadvantaged groups are discussed.

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