I Have Received More Help Than Others! A Social Comparison Perspective on Receiving Help

Abstract

In the current research, we developed and tested a model of how and when receiving help social comparison influenced the recipient’s job performance (i.e., interpersonal citizenship behavior, task performance). Based on social exchange theory and social comparison theory, we posited that receiving help social comparison influenced the recipient’s feelings of gratitude, which in turn had a positive relationship with interpersonal citizenship behavior (ICB) and task performance. Further, we argued that the effects of receiving help social comparison were influenced by the recipient’s psychological entitlement. Using data collected in three waves from 307 employees in China, we found that receiving help social comparison was positively associated with the recipient’s feelings of gratitude while controlling for overall receiving help. Gratitude, in turn, benefit ICB and task performance. Moreover, high levels of psychological entitlement weakened the relationship between receiving help social comparison and the recipient’s feelings of gratitude, and further weakened the indirect relationship between receiving help social comparison and the recipient’s ICB as well as task performance via gratitude. Overall, these findings had the potential to extend our knowledge of receiving help literature by introducing a social comparison perspective.