Social Comparison Model Research Articles

Factors influencing luxury consumption and the moderating role of debt attitude amongst Generation Z in China

In recent years, China’s economy has undergone rapid development. Increased disposable income and the rapid expansion of Internet-based financial services have positioned China as the largest market for luxury goods. Gen Z, the youngest demographic within emerging markets, is expected to play a pivotal role as the primary driver of the luxury market. However, while China’s luxury market continues to exhibit a high growth rate, this growth has gradually decelerated in comparison to the previous two years according to researchers. This presents a significant challenge for the luxury industry, as maintaining and enhancing the global growth trend has become a pressing concern where consumer behavior is concerned. The second key issue addressed in this study revolves around the concepts of compulsive buying and brand addiction, which can lead individuals, particularly Gen Z, to develop an addiction to luxury consumption. This study is based on an integrated model of conspicuous consumption, social comparison, and impression management theory. The key variables are materialism, brand consciousness, status-seeking, peer pressure, and collectivism to predict the luxury consumption model with debt attitude introduced as a moderating variable to study consumer behaviour in this age group. A non-probability sampling method and 480 people were selected as research samples. Quantitative analysis was used in this study, and SPSS and Smart PLS were used as data analysis tools. Structural equation model (SEM) using partial least squares method was used to determine the relationship of the variables and the moderating effect of debt attitude. The results showed that brand consciousness, status seeking, debt attitude and materialism had the strongest relationship with luxury consumption. Debt attitude as a moderating factor has a significant impact on the hypothesized relationship of the model. This paper provides empirical evidence for research on Gen Z’s luxury consumption, which has practical implications to marketers, luxury companies, local luxury brands and credit institutions.

Using Evolutionary Theory to Understand Associations Between Passive and Active Social Media Use and Well-Being

Abstract Although social media plays a significant role in many people's lives, some previous studies have found that social media use (SMU) can have a negative impact on well-being. Previous studies have offered theories to help explain this relationship but have not explored this link from an evolutionary perspective. In the current study, we hypothesized from the evolutionary perspective that (1) students higher on social comparison (more often female) would report more passive SMU and associated feelings of depression, and (2) status striving would be associated with higher reports of active SMU, and for those high on social status striving, active SMU would be related to poorer ratings of well-being. Eighty-four undergraduate participants received a survey on campus that they completed in 10–15 min. The survey measured self-reported SMU, well-being, feelings of depression, status striving, and social comparison. The results supported the social comparison model for passive SMU but not the status striving model for active SMU. Whereas self-reported status striving was associated with ratings of active SMU, active SMU was positively associated with ratings of well-being only for those low on status striving. It is concluded that the evolutionary perspective indicates that female students are more inclined to passive SMU, which is associated with more feelings of depression. It is argued that the evolutionary perspective deserves more attention in this field of research.

Fear of missing out and problematic social media use: A serial mediation model of social comparison and self-esteem

Background and aimFear of Missing Out (FoMO) is consistently associated with problematic social media use (PSMU). Moreover, previous studies have shown a significant association between FoMO, self-esteem, and social comparison. However, there is a lack of studies that have investigated the relationship between, FoMO, social comparison, self-esteem, and PSMU in an integrated model. The present study hypothesized that FoMO may influence PSMU through the serial mediating role of social comparison and self-esteem. MethodA cross-sectional survey study was conducted comprising 256 Italian university students (74.4% female), aged 18 to 38 years (M = 23.05 years; SD = 3.58). The participants completed an online survey assessing the variables of the study. ResultsControlling for age and gender, the results showed positive associations between FoMO, social comparison, and PSMU, and a negative association between FoMO and self-esteem. Self-esteem was also negatively associated with PSMU. It was also found that social comparison and self-esteem sequentially mediated the association between FoMO and PSMU. ConclusionsThe present study contributes to understanding the mechanisms that underline the complex effects of FoMO on PSMU.

Introjected regulation and academic burnout: A moderated mediation model of social comparison and distress overtolerance.

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the mediation effect of Contrastive Upward Comparison (CUC) on the relationship between introjected regulation and exhaustion (i.e., introjected regulation-CUC-exhaustion). It is also aimed to examine the moderation effect of distress overtolerance on this mediated relationship. In order to resolve the uncertainty about the causality of cross-sectional studies, this study worked on the relationship among the variables by setting an alternative model (i.e., CUC-introjected regulation - exhaustion). The participants were 167 (females, 70.7%) undergraduate and graduate students in South Korea. The results of this study indicated that introjected regulation showed indirect and significant effect on exhaustion via CUC. However, in the alternative model, the indirect effect of introjected regulation in the relationship between CUC and exhaustion was not significant. Furthermore, high distress overtolerance buffered the relationship between introjected regulation and CUC, while it strengthened the association of CUC and exhaustion. Lastly, the results of moderated mediation suggested that students with higher distress overtolerance, experienced more CUC, and emotional exhaustion. The implications and limitations were also discussed.

The influence of leader-member exchange social comparison on employee innovative behavior

Based on the job demands-resources model, the mechanism and boundary conditions of leader-member exchange social comparison on employee innovative behaviors were tested with self-efficacy and role load as mediating variables and error management climate as moderating variables. Based on the empirical analysis of 452 questionnaire data collected in two stages, it is found that self-efficacy and role load play a partial mediating role in the relationship between leader-member exchange social comparison and employee innovative behavior. Error management climate positively moderates the relationship between leader-member exchange social comparison and self-efficacy, and positively moderates the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between leader-member exchange social comparison and employee innovative behavior. Error management climate negatively moderates the relationship between leader-member exchange social comparison and role load, and negatively moderates the mediating role of role load in the relationship between leader-member exchange social comparison and employee innovative behavior.

An exploration of informal peer-support for dietary recommendations in haemodialysis

People often seek feedback to compare aspects of their lives to others. For those undergoing haemodialysis, this may entail discussing dietary advice experiences with others to gain a sense of how well they are doing with their self-management skills. This informal peer-support may present opportunities and challenges for those undergoing haemodialysis. A total of 12 adults undergoing maintenance haemodialysis took part in semi-structured interviews which were transcribed verbatim and underwent thematic analysis. The self-evaluation model of social comparison informed data analysis and interpretation. Two major themes are reported. The major themes were ‘Joining the kidney family’, which represented a sense of solidarity among patients and ‘Social comparison to peers.’ Two sub-themes made up the theme ‘Social comparison to peers’, these were ‘Got it sorted’ and ‘On rocky ground’ and represented upwards comparisons from a self-evaluation perspective and down wards comparisons for self-enhancement. People form social relationships within a haemodialysis unit which are used to obtain evaluations on dietary self-management skills by social comparison. Positive self-evaluations involved downward and upward comparisons around dietary recommendations. Informal peer-support around dietary advice for haemodialysis is variable in terms of the accuracy and helpfulness of the information provided.

The effects of social comparison, emotion induction, and parent vaccination status on parental intentions for COVID‐19 vaccine uptake in children

AbstractParental vaccine hesitancy—delays in vaccine uptake for children—is a significant public health concern. Using an online adult sample of U.S. parents (N = 183), the current research experimentally examined how exposure to cautious or risky social comparison models on social media (in terms of their COVID‐19 beliefs and behaviors) influenced parental intentions to vaccinate their children against COVID‐19 in the early stages of the pandemic. Additionally, we examined whether the influence of social comparison models was moderated by emotional state (fear or contentment) and parental vaccination status. Overall, we found that parents exposed to cautious (vs. risky) comparison models and vaccinated (vs. unvaccinated) parents reported greater vaccine intentions for their children. We further found that vaccination intentions were highest among unvaccinated parents after exposure to cautious (vs. risky) comparison models, whereas intentions were highest among vaccinated parents after exposure to risky (vs. cautious) comparison models (but only when induced to feel content). Overall, our findings highlight the importance of understanding the additive and interactive impact of psychological and situational factors in shaping parental vaccine hesitancy.

Chronic social comparison elicits depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in male rats.

Social comparison is a fundamental human characteristic; however, long-term social comparison may induce psychological stress and can lead to depression and anxiety. Recent studies have shown that nonhuman primates compare themselves with others; however, no studies have investigated whether social comparisons exist among rodents. In the present study, we established a rat model of social comparison. This model was subsequently used to examine the effects of the differential environment of a partner on depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in male rats, as well as to assess the changes in serum, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and dorsal hippocampus brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels induced by long-term social comparison. Compared to rats whose partners were exposed to the same environment, rats whose partners were exposed to two combined enriched environmental stimuli for 14days showed significantly decreased social novelty preference and sucrose consumption. No anxiety-like behaviors were observed. Rats whose partners were exposed to one enriched environment for 31days showed significantly increased immobility time in the forced swimming test, and significantly decreased time spent in the center area in the open-field test. Further, rats whose partners were exposed to one enriched environment for 31days showed lower BDNF levels in the mPFC and dorsal hippocampus, but not following partner exposure for 14days. These results suggest that social comparisons exist in rats and can induce psychosocial stress and other negative affect. This model will not only provide the possibility to reveal the neurobiological basis of the emotional impact of social comparison, but could also be used to confirm the conservative evolutionary characteristics of social comparison as a behavioral attribute.

Relative deprivation and financial risk taking✰

This study examines whether relative deprivation is associated with risk preference and behavior. Relative deprivation measured by the Yitzhaki and Deaton indices and financial risk-taking outcomes are obtained from a representative household survey of Korean adults. Results show that relative deprivation is negatively associated with risk aversion, and this association is significant for men and individuals who experienced increasing relative deprivation. However, relative deprivation is not associated with investment outcomes such as risky asset ownership and risky asset share of financial net worth. These results are consistent with reference-dependent preference and social-comparison model that incorporates social standing into utility function.

Examining appearance pressures, thinness and muscularity internalizations, and social comparisons as correlates of drive for muscularity and thinness-oriented disordered eating in Chinese heterosexual men and women: Testing an integrated model

Given existing empirical support for the tripartite influence and social comparison models to explain variance in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating across diverse populations in the Western context, research is needed to describe these models in non-Western populations. The present study tested an integrated model inclusive of appearance pressures, thinness and muscularity internalizations, and social comparisons in relation to drive for muscularity and thinness-oriented disordered eating in heterosexual Chinese adult men (n = 510) and women (n = 473). Separated by gender, two integrated models had good fit statistics per structural equation modeling. In men and women, higher appearance pressures were uniquely related to higher drive for muscularity and thinness-oriented disordered eating. In men and women, higher thinness and muscularity internalizations were uniquely related to higher thinness-oriented disordered eating and drive for muscularity, respectively. In men and women, higher upward body image comparisons were uniquely related to higher drive for muscularity, and in men only, higher downward body image comparisons were uniquely related to higher thinness-oriented disordered eating. The present findings, which extend theories of eating pathology, may aid in improving treatment efforts for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in heterosexual Chinese adult men and women.

Integrating the tripartite influence, minority stress, and social comparison theories to explain body image and disordered eating in Chinese sexual minority men and women

Theories of eating pathology explain body image and disordered eating in diverse populations, including sexual minority (SM) individuals. Yet, previous efforts to extend theories of eating pathology to SM individuals have mostly focused on Western populations. The present study integrated the tripartite influence, minority stress, and social comparison models to explain variance in body image and disordered eating in Chinese SM men and women. Chinese self-identified SM adults (N = 1051; n = 519 men, n = 532 women) completed an online, cross-sectional study that assessed sociocultural influences (e.g., tripartite influence), minority stress, social comparisons, drive for muscularity, and disordered eating. Two integrated models were tested for men and women using structural equation modeling. Across both populations, sociocultural influences exerted the largest direct positive effects on body image and disordered eating. In men, only downward body image comparisons were uniquely related to outcomes. In women, higher upward body image comparisons were uniquely associated with higher drive for muscularity and higher downward body image comparisons were uniquely associated with higher thinness-oriented disordered eating. Minority stressors (e.g., sexual orientation concealment, internalized homophobia) were uniquely related to outcomes in men, not women. Findings extend existing theories of body image and disordered eating to Chinese SM populations.

Positive aging: social support and social well-being in older adults-the serial mediation model of social comparison and cognitive reappraisal

Positive aging: social support and social well-being in older adults-the serial mediation model of social comparison and cognitive reappraisal

Financial strain moderates genetic influences on self-rated health: support for diathesis–stress model of gene–environment interplay

ABSTRACT Data from the Interplay of Genes and Environment across Multiple Studies (IGEMS) consortium were used to examine predictions of different models of gene-by-environment interaction to understand how genetic variance in self-rated health (SRH) varies at different levels of financial strain. A total of 11,359 individuals from 10 twin studies in Australia, Sweden, and the United States contributed relevant data, including 2,074 monozygotic and 2,623 dizygotic twin pairs. Age ranged from 22 to 98 years, with a mean age of 61.05 (SD = 13.24). A factor model was used to create a harmonized measure of financial strain across studies and items. Twin analyses of genetic and environmental variance for SRH incorporating age, age2, sex, and financial strain moderators indicated significant financial strain moderation of genetic influences on self-rated health. Moderation results did not differ across sex or country. Genetic variance for SRH increased as financial strain increased, matching the predictions of the diathesis–stress and social comparison models for components of variance. Under these models, environmental improvements would be expected to reduce genetically based health disparities.

Knowledge Transfer Between Younger and Older Employees: A Temporal Social Comparison Model

AbstractKnowledge transfer between younger and older employees can help to prevent organizational knowledge loss and contribute to business success. However, despite its potential benefits, knowledge transfer does not occur automatically. To better understand the challenges associated with age-diverse knowledge transfer, we develop a conceptual model outlining 10 propositions. Specifically, we adopt a temporal social comparison perspective suggesting that employees compare their current and future status (i.e., the prestige, respect, and esteem provided by others). Expected future status differences are meaningful among age-diverse employees because older employees may have a higher current status than their younger colleagues, whereas younger employees may gain a higher status in the future. In our conceptual model, we propose 2 opposing pathways through which temporal social comparison impacts knowledge transfer, namely age-specific motives (i.e., generativity and development striving) and discrete emotions (i.e., fear of losing status and fear of losing face). In addition, we introduce individual and organizational boundary conditions that can modify the downstream consequences of temporal social comparison on knowledge transfer between younger and older employees.

How does internet usage affect the credit consumption among Chinese college students? A mediation model of social comparison and materialism

PurposeThe use of consumer credit by Chinese citizens has risen rapidly in the Internet era. The purpose of this paper is to predict a mechanism for credit consumption through Internet usage, with social comparison and materialism as mediators. Four types of Internet usage (social use, entertainment use, informational use, and online shopping) were identified to investigate whether different types of Internet usage influence credit consumption differently and whether the influencing mechanisms vary.Design/methodology/approachA structured online survey involving 558 valid responses from Chinese college students was completed, with structural equation modeling being applied to analyze the collected data.FindingsAmong the four types of Internet activities, online shopping was found to be the most significant predictor of credit consumption; results show that it influences credit consumption through two indirect pathways: materialism and a combination of social comparison and materialism. Social use was found to only affect credit consumption through materialism. In contrast, the influences of both informational use and entertainment use on credit consumption were insignificant.Originality/valueBy testing the concurrent mediating effects of social comparison and materialism, this study broadens our understanding of how Internet usage and credit consumption are connected. While most studies empirically test overall Internet usage and focus on direct relationships, we identify four types of Internet activities and demonstrate the mechanisms by which different types of Internet usage influence credit consumption, and how consumption varies based on Internet activity.

Artificial neural networks for predicting social comparison effects among female Instagram users.

Systematic exposure to social media causes social comparisons, especially among women who compare their image to others; they are particularly vulnerable to mood decrease, self-objectification, body concerns, and lower perception of themselves. This study first investigates the possible links between life satisfaction, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and the intensity of Instagram use with a social comparison model. In the study, 974 women age 18–49 who were Instagram users voluntarily participated, completing a questionnaire. The results suggest associations between the analyzed psychological data and social comparison types. Then, artificial neural networks models were implemented to predict the type of such comparison (positive, negative, equal) based on the aforementioned psychological traits. The models were able to properly predict between 71% and 82% of cases. As human behavior analysis has been a subject of study in various fields of science, this paper contributes towards understanding the role of artificial intelligence methods for analyzing behavioral data in psychology.

IGeneration well-being in the workforce: a conceptual model of materialism and social comparison

PurposeThis conceptual article applies Festinger’s (1954) social comparison theory (SCT) within a materialism and social media environment to assist organizations with improving the well-being among iGeneration employees. By identifying SCT, this article proposes a conceptual model based on how iGeneration engages in upward and downward comparisons and how these comparisons influence materialistic consumption. Rather than altering human behavior, this article addresses how organizations can tap into their employees’ natural field of play and advantageously leverage these innate traits.Design/methodology/approachThis article illustrates path analyses to elevate the iGeneration’s well-being through the following: exposing themselves to materialism via social media, comparing themselves among similar and dissimilar people, and possessing materialistic items to set themselves apart. This article then provides future research.FindingsThis study reveals how organizations can harness SCT within a materialistic and social media landscape to improve employee well-being.ImplicationsThis theoretical model helps to develop organizational well-being strategies to produce lower employee turnover and higher productivity.Originality/valueThis article contributes to academic research by providing a theoretical model based on natural social media behavior and materialism.

The Role of Contempt in Organizations

While organizational behavior research has examined the role of various emotions at work, contempt has been largely unexplored within a workplace context. Individuals experience the emotion of contempt when they look down upon others or appraise them as inferior to themselves (Izard, 1977), typically on dimensions of morality or competence (Fischer & Giner-Sorolla, 2016). In the current paper, we develop a conceptual model to examine both the antecedents and consequences of contempt in the workplace. We draw from the Social Comparison Model (Festinger, 1954) and Affective Events Theory (Weiss & Cropanzano, 1996) to develop 10 propositions. First, we propose that contempt will be elicited in organizations when a drive for social comparison combined with the presence of individual differences lead workers to appraise their coworkers as inferior. We then propose that workers who feel contempt will engage in disparaging behavior toward their coworkers, allowing them to boost their own self-esteem, but yet dam...

Clinical Nutrition

Background Patients compare and discuss their treatment regimens with other patients to obtain informal peer support. (1) A social comparison model (2) suggests these behaviours involve making comparisons to other patient's dietary behaviours to obtain feedback on the success of their own dietary behaviours. The result of this comparison can either enhance or lower self-esteem, depending on how the person perceives their situation. A self-enhancement comparison i.e. discounting the other person's behaviour helps maintain positive self-esteem through positive self-talk. A negative comparison will make them feel inferior to the person they have compared themselves too. Social comparison has been studied in obesity and eating disorders.(3) But little exists in renal. It is important to understand how people deal with social interactions around diet as inappropriate renal peer support and dietary advice giving may be detrimental to dietary adherence. Therefore it is important that patients can maintain self-esteem around following their own dietary advice. The aim of this study was to explore informal peer support experiences on self-management of individual dietary recommendations in chronic kidney disease. Methods Qualitative semi-structured interviews using a free response narrative approach were undertaken with patients with end-stage renal failure on heamodialysis. An interview topic guide, informed by current literature, was used to guide the data collection. Interview questions covered experiences of informal peer support and the affect these had on participants own behaviour around following renal dietary advice. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and underwent interpretative phenomenological analysis (4) within the framework of social comparison theory.(2) Internal peer review, member checking and reflexivity were under taken to increase rigour. UHCW NHS Trust gave ethical approval. Results 12 caucasian adults took part (6 male, 6 female). Themes represented social comparison between patients within the dialysis unit. Patients gradually entered the social more of the “renal family” (Participant 3) when starting hemodialysis. Within this social more; self-enhancement comparisons protected the self by discounting peers incongruent “unsafe” (P6) dietary advice, describing patients who were non-compliant to low potassium advice as being “on rocky ground” (P4). This helped maintain positive self-esteem by “feeling good about my own choices” (P10), identity around food, and food literacy. Peers who undertook positive self-talk were more likely to offer appropriate support to others. These coping strategies and “decent” (P1) peer support maintained defense against well-meant informal peer support by lessening the comparison to “those patients who don't know what they're doing with their diet” (P16). Discussion Positive upwards comparisons helped patients make dietary changes and self-manage their diet as reported in self-restrained eaters. (4) This led to high levels of self-efficacy to cope with renal restrictions and maintained patients’ food literacy. These individuals were more likely to offer appropriate support to others. Downward comparison resulted in individuals feeling their self-efficacy was threatened by negative influences of peers. Limitations to this study include that self-efficacy was not measured, but implied through in-depth descriptions. Conclusion The findings suggest that a formal peer support programme should be explored for renal dietetics. A formal peer support programme may help lessen the anxiety around informal and inappropriate nutritional peer support.

A social comparison model of task performance and interpersonal behaviors

We develop and test a model that examines how task performance may influence interpersonal behaviors at work. Building on social comparison theory, we predict that employees with higher task perfor...