I, we, and the effects of others on me: how self-construal level moderates social comparison effects.
In 5 studies, the authors investigate the impact of self-activation on the occurrence and direction of social comparison effects. They show that self-evaluative comparison effects are more likely to occur when self-related cognitions are made cognitively accessible. Contrast occurs when personal self-construals ("I") are accessible, whereas assimilation occurs when social self-construals ("we") are activated. These effects of self-construal activation are similar to the impact of self-unrelated information processing styles that are often associated with personal and social self-accessibility (i.e., differentiation and integration mind-sets). However, whereas self-construal activation elicits self-serving social comparisons, activation of self-unrelated processing styles results in non-self-serving social comparison effects. Implications of these results for understanding the cognitive processes underlying social comparison effects are discussed.
Stapel
D A
DA
Department of Social Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. d.a.stapel@ppsw.rug.nl
Koomen
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D012933:Social Identification