title: Upward social comparison and self-concept: inspiration and inferiority among art students in an advanced programme.
abstract: We examined the role of social comparison in changes in the artistic self-concept of adolescents attending an advanced arts programme. Unfavourable comparisons that promoted a sense of inferiority and favourable comparisons that promoted inspiration were measured just prior to, in the first week of, and at the end of the 6 week programme. Consistent with the 'big fish little pond effect', inferiority comparisons made during the programme were associated with negative changes in self-concept. Consistent with the social comparison literature, however, inspiration comparisons made during the programme were associated with positive changes in self-concept. Rather than suggesting that exposure to highly talented peers is necessarily unfavourable, results suggest that the interpretation of the comparisons made in situ determines the favourability of such exposure.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Burleson
authors.forename: Colin Wayne
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Harrington
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001076:Aptitude; D001154:Art; D001240:Aspirations, Psychological; D003405:Creativity; D004522:Educational Status; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010379:Peer Group; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*