Associations Between Comparative Perceptions of Memory Functioning and Broader Social Comparison Tendencies Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

Background: Aging increased the risks of cognitive impairment and depression. Then, these conditions can lead to poor quality of life by reducing one’s ability to perform activities of daily living. Recently, it is established that physical activity can decrease the cognitive decline and the risk of depression in older adults. Moreover, regular physical activity can improve physical and mental functions in populations of all ages. However, level and speed of cognitive decline occurs varies greatly among individual especially the difference between middle-aged and older adults. Objective: This study aimed to focus on the comparison of physical activity, cognitive function and depression between older and middle-aged adults, which has never been done before. Moreover, the associations of physical activity with cognitive impairment and depression were also investigated in older and middle-aged adults. The information in this study will provide an understanding regarding the design of physical activity program for different age groups. Methods: All participants were divided into two groups of 50 middle-aged adults and 50 older adults. The assessments of physical activity, cognitive function, and level of depression were conducted for all participants. Results: The total level of physical activity and cognitive function in older adults was decreased when compared with middle-aged ones. Moreover, each work and transportation domain of physical activity in older adults also was decreased when compared with that in middle-aged ones. However, the leisure domain of physical activity in older adults was increased via a decreasing depression level. In addition, the level of physical activity associated with both cognitive function and depression and depression alone in middle-aged and older adults, respectively. Conclusion: We suggested that total level of physical activity in older adults can increase via stimulating work and transportation activities in physical activity program. Moreover, the level of physical activity associated with both cognitive function and depression and depression alone in middle-aged and older adults, respectively.

Objectives The purpose of this study is to test the mediation model in which social comparison orientation influences SNS addiction tendency through fear of missing out and depression among college students. Methods The research participants consisted of 268 current students enrolled in domestic universities, and data were collected through an online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the collected data, and the bootstrapping method and Phantom Variables were employed to analyze the sequential mediation effects. Results All path coefficients were significant except for the direct path from social comparison orientation to depression and SNS addiction orientation. When examining the individual mediation effects, fear of missing out mediated the relationship between social comparison orientation and depression, and the mediation effect of depression on the relationship between fear of missing out and SNS addiction was also significant. Finally, the full mediation effect of fear of missing out and depression on the relationship between social comparison orientation and SNS addiction tendency was significant, meaning that the higher the social comparison orientation, the higher fear of missing out, and fear of missing out may lead to SNS addiction tendency by increasing depression. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that college students with high social comparison tendencies may be more prone to SNS addiction, and this process may be explained by emotional difficulties such as fear of missing out and depression. The implications for counseling practice are further discussed, suggesting that emotional interventions such as fear of missing out and depression may be necessary when clients complaining of SNS addiction tendencies have social comparison tendencies.

Age differences in social comparison tendency and personal relative deprivation

This study aimed to examine older adults' physical activity intentions and preferred implementation intentions, and how intentions and preferred implementation intentions differ between older, middle aged and younger adults. A cross-sectional Australian wide telephone survey of 1217 respondents was conducted in 2016. Multiple and ordinal regression analyses were conducted to compare intentions and preferred implementation intentions between older (65+), middle aged (45-64) and younger adults (<45). A higher percentage of older adults had no intentions to engage in regular physical activity within the next 6months (60%) compared to younger adults (25%). Older adults' most popular preferences included being active at least once a day and for 30min or less and were more likely to prefer more frequent and shorter sessions compared to younger adults. Both older and middle aged adults were more likely to prefer slower paced physical activity compared to younger adults who preferred fast paced physical activity. Physical activity interventions for older adults should address the high percentage of older adults with no intentions and public health campaigns for older adults should promote 30min daily sessions of slow paced activity.

The fashion industry has been under fire for years for using unrealistic body sizes in the form of stick-thin fashion models to promote the sale of clothing. Typical Western fashion models in today’s society are sized 0-2 and weigh approximately 23% less than the average U.S. woman, who weighs approximately 163 pounds and wears a size 14 (Vesilind, 2009). According to Vartanian (2009), many women suffer from body image self-discrepancies when they compare themselves with others, including fashion models. As such, social comparison has been documented to create negative emotions, such as body dissatisfaction and disappointment (Posavac &amp; Posavac, 2002). Although a number of studies have investigated how an idealized body image in media impacts social comparison among females, no research has explored to what extent comparisons of mannequins to a customer’s self may impact self-image and consumer behavior. Since mannequins serve to show consumers how clothing may look on the human body and consumers may be drawn to the clothing due to the way the clothing fits the mannequin and/or the poise, stature, or grace of the mannequin itself (Schneider, 1997), it should be expected that mannequins would also influence self-image and behavior. Utilizing Social Comparison Theory as the theoretical foundation, this study examines the influencing factors affecting U.S. females' social comparison tendencies and psychological well-being when a female compares her body to that of a mannequin and to other women. Data was collected using an online survey through the use of snowball convenience sampling, yielding 314 usable responses. Results indicate that the use of idealized mannequins in retail stores have a significant impact on social comparison and body dissatisfaction for female consumers. These results suggest that female consumers do indeed compare their bodies to those of mannequins and that the greater the discrepancy between the size of the mannequin and their own size, the more dissatisfied the woman is with her body. This research extends Social Comparison Theory as the findings show women also compare themselves to mannequins. In addition, results of this study show that women who are categorized with a BMI classification of overweight or obese are more likely to compare themselves to other females. Results also show that the top five body parts/characteristics most commonly compared to mannequins and other females are body size, weight, body shape, waist, and legs.

Associations between dimensions of physical activity (intensity, frequency, duration, and volume) and frailty among middle-aged and older Chinese adults.

The current study examines the construct of relationship social comparison orientation, which deals with an individual’s propensity to compare his or her romantic relationship to that of others’ romantic relationships on various dimensions, in both dating and married samples. The study also examines the role of relationship uncertainty and self uncertainty as an inducement or precondition to relationship comparison tendencies in both groups. 204 married individuals were recruited through The University of Iowa employee pool and 270 dating individuals were recruited to participate using the Elementary Psychology research pool. Dating and married individuals completed questionnaires related to relationship social comparison orientation, general social comparison orientation, and personality traits. A subset of married individuals’ spouses also completed questionnaires to report as informants on their partners’ relationship comparison tendencies, general social comparison orientation and personality. Findings show that married individuals report higher levels of relationship and self certainty and satisfaction than dating individuals. Factor analyses of the Relationship Social Comparison Measure (RSCM; Smith LeBeau & Buckingham, 2008) and relationship comparison tendencies items produced an interpretable and replicable three factor structure, in both samples, of: 1) general relational comparisons, 2) relational comparisons with positive affect and 3) relational comparisons with negative affect. Dating individuals reported more frequent engagement in general relational comparisons and relational comparisons with negative affect. General relational comparisons and negative affect relational comparisons factor scales were significantly, negatively associated with satisfaction in both dating and married samples; in contrast, however,

Since the initial scientific statement on Secondary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) in the Elderly was published in 2002,1 several trends have continued that make an update highly appropriate. First, the graying of the US population and those of other industrialized countries has progressed unabated because more adults are surviving into their senior years. The number of Americans aged ≥75 years was estimated at 18.6 million in 2010, representing ≈6% of the population,2 and it is expected to double by 2050. The population aged ≥85 years is growing the most rapidly, with numbers expected to reach 19.5 million by 2040. In 2008, 67% of the 811 940 cardiovascular deaths in the United States occurred in people aged ≥75 years.3 In parallel to this increase in the older adult demographic, the number of Americans with CHD has increased to an estimated 16.3 million, more than half of whom are >65 years of age.3 Similarly, 7 million have had a stroke, the incidence of which approximately doubles with successive age decades after 45 to 54 years.3 Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects 8 to 10 million Americans, the majority of whom are >65 years of age. Between 2015 and 2030, annual US costs related to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) are projected to increase from $84.8 billion to $202 billion.3 Moreover, given that ASCVD often undermines functional capacity and independence and increases reliance on long-term care, indirect expenses related to ASCVD are also expected to increase. Thus, the need for effective secondary prevention measures in the older adult population with known ASCVD has never been greater. Notably, the 2011 American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) updated guidelines for secondary prevention of CHD broadened …

The prototype willingness model: An application to adolescent driver speeding

Social comparison is a prerequisite for processing fairness, although the two types of cognition may be associated with different emotions. Whereas social comparison may induce envy, the perception of unfairness may elicit anger. Yet, it remains unclear whether people who tend to have a strong sense of fairness also tend to compare themselves more with others. Here, Study 1 used a modified ultimatum game (UG) and a social comparison game (SCG) to examine the relationship between justice sensitivity and social comparison sensitivity in 51 young adults. Study 2 examined self-reported social comparison and justice sensitivity in 142 young adults. Both studies showed a positive correlation between social comparison sensitivity and justice sensitivity. We reason that social comparison and justice sensitivity have an important positive correlation in human decision-making. The rejection of self-disadvantageous inequality offers may be due to the social comparison effect, which suggests that the tendency to compare oneself with others may contribute to having a strong sense of justice. Our findings suggest that the predictions of game theory may vary depending on the social culture context and incorporating notions of fairness and social comparison tendency may be essential to better predict the actual behavior of players in social interactive situations.

Physical activity and mental well-being play an important role in reducing the risk of various diseases and in promoting independence among older adults. Appropriate physical activity, including yoga and mindfulness practices, can help rectify the loss of independence due to aging and have a positive influence on physical health and functional activities. This study assessed rural–urban differences in yoga and mindfulness practices and their associated factors among middle-aged and older Indian adults. The total sample size considered for the current analysis was 72,250 middle-aged and older adults (aged ≥ 45 years). Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the prevalence of yoga and mindfulness practices and examine the associations of selected variables with yoga and mindfulness practices among the participants. Further, we used the Fairley decomposition technique to determine the factors contributing to rural–urban differences in the prevalence of yoga and mindfulness practices among middle-aged and older adults. More than 9% of middle-aged and older adults in rural areas and 14% in urban areas reported practicing yoga and mindfulness activities more than once per week. Adults aged ≥ 65 years were more likely to practice yoga and mindfulness activities than those who age 45–54 years were. Those with an education of ten years and above were 2.3 and 2.1 times higher likely to practice yoga in rural (AOR: 2.28; CI: 2.07–2.52) and urban (AOR: 2.13; CI: 1.91–2.37) areas compared to their uneducated peers, respectively. The largest contributors in diminishing the gap in yoga practice among participants were education (44.2%), caste (2.5%), chronic diseases such as hypertension (4.53%), diabetes (1.71%), high cholesterol (3.08%), self-reported pain (5.76%), and difficulties in instrumental activities of daily living (1.22%). The findings suggest that middle-aged and older adults in urban areas practice yoga and mindfulness activities more than their peers in rural areas do. Education level, household characteristics, and health outcomes such as chronic conditions, pain, and functional difficulties explain the observed differences in yoga and mindfulness practices across rural and urban areas. Age-appropriate healthy practices such as yoga and mindfulness should be encouraged to enhance the physical and mental well-being of middle-aged and older adults, especially in rural areas.

Social comparison orientation (SCO) refers to the tendency to compare oneself with others and has two distinct dimensions: one about opinions and the other about abilities. Although dissociable neural mechanisms underlying the two dimensions of social comparison can be assumed, little is known about how each dimension of SCO is associated with cognitive and brain health among older adults. To investigate this, we analyzed the SCO scale questionnaire data, neuropsychological assessment data, and multimodal MRI data collected from 90 community-dwelling older adults. We found that global cognitive performance was positively correlated with the score of the opinion subscale but not with the score of the ability subscale and the total score. Similarly, hippocampal volume was positively correlated with opinion score alone. Additionally, the resting-state functional connectivity between the hippocampal seed and the default mode network showed a positive correlation only with the opinion score. Moreover, fractional anisotropy in the hippocampal cingulum was positively correlated with opinion score only. These findings suggest that global cognition and hippocampal properties in older age are associated with the SCO of opinion, which could reflect a regular habit of performing the types of cognitively demanding activities involved in evaluation of self and other opinions.

How do individuals assess the magnitude of their self-discrepancies? In this research, we suggest that social comparison operates as a self-regulatory measuring stick that helps individuals assess where they stand relative to self-standards (ideal, ought, and feared selves), and contributes to the experience of discrepancy-related emotions. Study 1 revealed that individuals high in social comparison orientation (SCO) report ideal and ought self-discrepancies larger in magnitude than those low in SCO. Study 2, which examined upward and downward comparison tendencies separately, demonstrated that chronic upward comparison predicts ideal and ought self-discrepancy magnitudes, whereas downward comparison predicts feared self-discrepancy magnitude. Both studies indicate that social comparison tendencies are associated with the experience of agitation, dejection, contentment and cheerfulness.

Many studies highlight the merits of positive reviews on social networking sites (SNSs), suggesting that consumers tend to consider these to be trustworthy recommendations. This study draws attention to the potential negative effects of luxury hotels’ positive reviews on SNSs. We propose that positive reviews may encourage social comparison and trigger feelings of malicious envy, thereby negatively influencing purchase intentions. Results from two experiments show that high similarity between the review writer and readers increases readers’ social comparison tendency, which induces malicious envy when the writer is considered undeserving of luxury hotel consumption. This leads to decreased purchase intentions toward the hotel brand mentioned in the review and increased purchase intentions toward competing hotel brands. The findings have implications for buzz marketing strategies seeking to mitigate the risk of eliciting malicious envy on SNSs.

Technological innovations, especially smart fitness wearables, are playing a critical role in the future of fitness and overall well-being. Extant research has examined the adoption of smart fitness wearables, with limited attention paid to continuance intention. The current study attempts to investigate users’ continuance intentions of using smart fitness wearables by combining expectation confirmation theory and social comparison theory. In particular, this paper extends the expectation confirmation model by adding perceived health outcomes and social comparison tendency to understand the continuance intention of smart fitness variables. The model explains 72.8% of continuance intention, and the findings reveal that perceived health outcome and users’ satisfaction predict continuance intention leading to intention to recommend. Furthermore, the findings confirm the positive impact of social comparison tendency on perceived health outcome and users’ satisfaction. Users’ satisfaction is influenced by perceived usefulness, confirmation, perceived health outcome and social comparison tendency. Our study confirms that mere post-adoption perceived usefulness does not guarantee continuance intention, unless the perceived health outcomes are achieved.