Comparing upward: How parental social comparisons shape children’s self-concept and mastery motivation in China

Abstract

The prevalence of Chinese parents using upward social comparisons to influence their children’s behavior is well-documented. However, the lack of reliable tools for measuring parental social comparisons, combined with a limited understanding of their association with preschoolers’ mastery motivation, highlights a significant gap in research. To bridge this gap, we undertook a comprehensive investigation. Study 1 involved the development of the Parental Social Comparison Scale. Study 2 and Study 3 explored the association between parental social comparisons and children’s mastery motivation, considering perspectives from parents (N = 194; Mage = 33.72 years, SD = 4.97) and children (N = 102; Mage = 5.14 years, SD = 3.78). We found that parental social comparisons were positively associated with children’s mastery motivation according to parents’ perceptions but were negatively associated with mastery motivation through children’s self-concept from children’s perspectives.