Upward Social Comparison Generates Attentional Focusing When the Dimension of Comparison is Self-Threatening

Abstract

The present research examines when and how upward social comparison (USC) affects basic attentional processing. We first propose that USC affects attention only when the dimension of comparison is self-threatening. Second, using a visual probe task, two studies tested whether self-threatening USC results in withdrawing attention from peripheral elements of the task (attentional focusing) or potentiation of prepotent responses (mere effort). results support the attentional focusing hypothesis: USC resulted in less attention being devoted to a peripheral element, even though typically associated with prepotent responses. Moreover, and in contradiction with a mere effort account, findings did not show a general decrease in response latencies (Study 2). This attentional focusing nevertheless only occurred when the task was self-threatening (i.e., presented as a measure of intellectual ability). results are discussed with regard to the potential role of anxiety and arousal in attention narrowing under self-threat.