Social Comparison Strategies Research Articles

Chinese Consumers’ Green Purchase Practices: A Review

This paper reviews current research with significant findings on Chinese consumers' green purchasing behavior in the 2000 to 2023 interval. The main direction of the article is to focus on the factors analyzed in the current research that influence consumers' green purchasing intentions and behaviors, and others include social comparison strategies, advertising appeals, traditional cultural values, and environmental responsibility. The study found that factors such as social comparison strategy, advertising appeal, traditional cultural values, and sense of environmental responsibility have a significant impact on Chinese consumers' green purchasing behavior. In a collectivist society, consumers tend to adjust their purchasing decisions according to the behavioral norms of the social group. Emotionally appealing advertisements are more likely than rationally appealing advertisements to stimulate consumers' environmental awareness and purchase motivation. The concepts of "benevolence" and "propriety" in traditional culture promote green purchasing by emphasizing mutual assistance, responsibility, and compliance with environmental norms, but the "face-saving" culture sometimes leads to superficial environmental behavior. Consumers' sense of environmental responsibility, influenced by education, social norms, and personal values, is an important factor driving green purchasing intentions. Despite consumers' strong willingness to buy green, there are often significant gaps in actual behavior which are attributed to factors such as price, convenience, product availability, and information transparency. Brand authenticity can help enhance consumer trust and emotional connection, thus increasing the likelihood of green product purchases. Government subsidies and the green consumption points system can effectively increase the market share of green products. Future research can further explore the relative importance of each factor and effective strategies to bridge the gap between purchase intention and actual behavior. Meanwhile, new approaches such as digital platforms and behavioral interventions are also worthy of attention to better promote sustainable consumption in China.

Peers turning on cameras promotes learning in video conferencing

The current study examined the influence of teacher and peer camera usage on the attention and learning performance of primary school students in video conferencing. The study further investigated the interplay between peer camera usage and various forms of social comparison, assessing their impact on the learning of primary school students in video conferencing. Consequently, the study designed two experiments, recruiting a total of 74 primary school students in Experiment 1 and 41 students in Experiment 2. Consistent with our hypothesis, Experiment 1 demonstrated that peers turning on their cameras in video conferencing enhanced student learning performance. Moreover, Experiment 2 revealed that when employing upward and parallel social comparison strategies, students showed similar learning performance regardless of peer camera usage; whereas when employing downward social comparison strategies, students showed better learning performance in the peers-cameras-on condition than in the peers-cameras-off condition. This suggests that the introduction of upward and parallel social comparison strategies can effectively counterbalance the negative impact on student learning resulting from peers turning off their cameras. The main results of the present study have significant implications for camera use in video conferencing. First, students are advised to turn on cameras during video conferencing. Second, teachers are encouraged to design an environment conducive to upward and parallel comparison in video conferencing when peers turn off their cameras.

The Social Factors of Emotion Regulation Strategies: Social Comparison and Psychological Intervention Research

This research paper delves into the complex interplay between social factors, specifically social comparison, and psychological interventions in the realm of emotion regulation. Emotion regulation is a critical component of psychological well-being, and understanding how individuals employ social comparison strategies within the context of psychological interventions are of paramount importance. The paper investigates the effects of various forms of social comparison on emotional responses and the outcomes of psychological interventions, with a particular focus on the Chinese cultural context. It also explores the integration of social comparison principles into psychological intervention approaches and discusses the challenges, gaps, and future directions in this evolving research field.

The influence of health information attention and app usage frequency of older adults on persuasive strategies in mHealth education apps.

With the development of mobile communication technology, persuasive technology is widely used in mobile health. Using personalized persuasive strategies in mobile health education (MHE) apps can effectively improve users' health literacy and health behaviors. The transtheoretical model explains the process of user behavior change. Different usage frequency of the app reflects changes in user behavior. However, few studies have examined how the perceived importance of persuasive strategies among older adults changes with increasing use frequency. In this study, we analyzed the sensitivity of 111 older adults in China to persuasive strategies in MHE apps. Thirteen persuasive strategies were selected for this study. A repeated measure analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) was used to demonstrate the influence of gender, health information attention and frequency of use on the sensitivity of perceived persuasive strategies among older adults. The results revealed older adults with a high usage frequency of health apps were more receptive to persuasive strategies, especially in social comparison strategy. This result may help developers consider factors such as the frequency of use by older users when designing personalized persuasive strategies for MHE apps.

The Concurrent and Longitudinal Relations Between Competitive Classroom Climate and Learning Motivation Among Chinese Adolescent Students: The Mediating Roles of Social Comparisons.

PurposeOver the past decade, cross-sectional studies have established a link between competitive classroom climate and learning motivation. However, the precise predictive direction has remained unclear, and the potential mechanisms underlying the link have yet to be investigated. According to the social comparison theory, competitive classroom climate is positively associated with learning motivation, and upward and downward comparison may play a role in mediating this process.Patients and MethodsData were obtained from a three-wave study of 476 Chinese senior high school students (45.4% boys, 54.6% girls) aged 14–18 years. Structural equation modeling was performed to test different models.ResultsConcurrent and longitudinal analyses revealed that higher competitive classroom climate was associated with higher learning motivation. Moreover, upward comparison mediated the relation between competitive classroom climate and learning motivation. However, downward comparison did not mediate these relations.ConclusionFrom the perspective of practice, the results provide evidence for how to promote learning motivation by cultivating competitive classroom climate and applying effective social comparison strategies.

Keeping up with the Wangs: individual and contextual influences on mental wellbeing and depressive symptoms in China

BackgroundIn recent decades, China has experienced dramatic changes to its social and economic environment, which has affected the distribution of wellbeing across its citizens. While several studies have investigated individual level predictors of wellbeing in the Chinese population, less research has been done looking at contextual effects. This cross-sectional study looks at the individual and contextual effects of (regional) education, unemployment and marriage (rate) on individual happiness, life satisfaction and depressive symptomatology.MethodsData were collected from over 29,000 individuals (aged 18 to 110, 51.91% female) in the China Family Panel Studies, and merged with county level census data obtained from the 2010 China Population Census and Statistical Yearbook. To explore contextual effects, we used multilevel models accounting for the hierarchical structure of the data.ResultsWe found that a one-year increase in education was associated with a 0.17% increase in happiness and a 0.16% decrease in depressive symptoms. Unemployed men were 1% less happy, 1% less satisfied with life and reported 0.84% more depressive symptoms than employed men while minimal effects were seen for women. Single, divorced and widowed individuals had worse outcomes than married individuals (ranging from 2.96 to 21% differences). We found interaction effects for education and employment. Less educated individuals had greater happiness and less depressive symptoms in counties with higher average education compared to counterparts in less educated counties. In contrast, more educated individuals were less satisfied with life in more educated counties, an effect that is possibly due to social comparison. Employed individuals had lower life satisfaction in areas of high unemployment, while levels were constant for the unemployed. A 1% increase in county marriage rate was associated with 0.33 and 0.24% increases in happiness and life satisfaction respectively, with no interactions. We speculate that this effect could be due to greater social cohesion in the neighbourhood.ConclusionsOur results show that policies designed to improve employment and marriage rates will be beneficial for all, while interventions to encourage positive social comparison strategies may help to offset the negative effects of increasing neighbourhood average education on the highly educated.

Body appreciation as a protective factor in women with fibromyalgia: an examination of associations between pain perception, social comparison and psychological distress.

While symptoms of fibromyalgia (FM) and psychological distress are directly linked, indirect effects are also apparent. The aim of the present study was to develop an explanatory model for the effect of FM on women's psychological distress and identify possible protective and risk factors. This study comprised of total of 293 women aged 20-68 (M= 34.3, SD = 12.1), of which 141 were women with FM and 152 healthy peers (HP), who completed questionnaires regarding demographic characteristics, anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), body appreciation (BAS-2), social comparison strategies, and pain assessment (SF-MPQ). FM patients demonstrated higher psychological distress, i.e., depression and anxiety and lower body appreciation. Body appreciation significantly correlated with social comparison coping strategies. Body appreciation and social comparison strategies mediated the link between FM and psychological distress. Among FM patients, body appreciation moderated the links between pain intensity and aspects of social comparison strategies, thus explaining the link between pain intensity and psychological distress. Women with FM demonstrated higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms and lower body appreciation compared to HP. The unique role of body appreciation in moderating the indirect link between pain and psychological distress appears to be protective.

Social Comparison and Stress Appraisal in Women with Chronic Illness.

(1) Background: The present study examined how social comparison orientation, stress appraisal and different social comparison strategies interact in women facing chronic illness. (2) Methods: Assessments were conducted by a trained professional in face-to face semistructured interviews (n = 179 women with chronic illness). Main outcome measures included social comparison scales and a stress appraisal questionnaire. The mediation model, by a bootstrapping procedure, was used to analyze the interaction among variables. (3) Results: Regarding the relationships among variables studied, they were related to each other except for a downward contrast, which allowed us to propose our hypothetical mediation model. Results showed that stress appraisal fully mediates between social comparison orientation and social comparison strategies except for the upward identification strategy. (4) Conclusions: Our results suggest that uncertainty, feelings of threat and low control over one’s illness or, in general, stress appraisal, had an important mediating effects over social comparison processes in patients with chronic illnesses. Therefore, by understanding the stress appraisal process, and the variables that might modify it, we could improve the use of social comparison as a favorable coping strategy.

The development of a social norms adherence intervention for adolescents with epilepsy

IntroductionAdherence is suboptimal in adolescents with epilepsy. Social norms comparison (i.e., feedback about someone else’s behavior related to one’s own behavior) strategies may be beneficial in improving medication adherence. Using a novel model of behavioral intervention development, the aim of the current study was to create a social norms intervention for adolescents with epilepsy via focus groups and usability studies. MethodsA focus group, individual interviews, short-term usability, and extended usage testing studies were conducted. Across all study phases, content and images of intervention components were displayed to participants as mock-ups in PowerPoint slide decks. After each phase, updated iterations were shown to participants to refine the intervention. Several questionnaires were completed by adolescents and caregivers to characterize the samples. ResultsTwelve adolescents participated in the focus group/individual interviews and usability studies. The final Behavioral Economic Adherence for Teens (BEAT) intervention consists of a text messaging system and a graphical user interface. General feedback indicated the need for simplicity and ease of use regarding obtaining the graphical messages (e.g., no extra login and passwords); engaging visual images; and weekly comparisons of a target patient’s medication adherence to other adolescents’ performance. The average system usability system (SUS) rating was 88.3 + 3.8. ConclusionsOur final intervention had high usability ratings and was perceived as engaging and easy to understand. An important next step is to test the BEAT intervention in a Phase 2 randomized trial.

INTEGRATING SOCIAL COMPARISON INTO THE UNDERSTANDING OF EMOTION REGULATION IN BORDERLINE PERSONALITY

Introduction: Theory and research suggest the need to expand research on emotion regulation (ER) within borderline personality disorder (BPD). This research examined the relations of BPD symptoms to interpersonal (venting, reassurance-seeking) and socially-oriented (social comparison) ER strategies (in addition to acceptance and avoidance), and explored the role of trait social comparison orientation (SCO) in these relations.Methods: In Study 1, a nationwide community sample of women completed questionnaires. In Study 2, a university sample of young women completed questionnaires and an online social interaction task (following which they reported on the strategies they used to regulate emotions during the task).Results: Results revealed significant indirect relations of BPD symptoms to venting and reassurance-seeking through trait SCO, reassurance-seeking and social comparison through upward SCO, and the in-vivo use of downward social comparison and avoidance strategies during the social interaction task through upward SCO.Discussion: Results highlight the relevance of trait SCO (particularly upward SCO) to socially-oriented ER strategies among women with heightened BPD symptoms.

Profiles of Women With Fibromyalgia and Social Comparison Processes.

BackgroundDue to uncertainty regarding chronic pain in Fibromyalgia (FM) patients, there has been a growing interest in social comparison and its influence on emotional responses.Aimsto analyze profiles in FM patients according to pain perception, social comparison strategies and anxiety and depression.MethodsThe sample consisted of 131 FM outpatients (Mean age: 50.15, SD = 11.1). Two scales were used: the Social Comparison Illness Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.ResultsTwo profiles were found by cluster analysis (K-means method): one (66%) with a higher level of pain perception, anxiety and depression and greater use of upward contrast and downward identification social comparison; and another (34%) with lower levels of pain perception, anxiety and depression and greater use of upward identification and downward contrast.ConclusionThese profiles underline the interest in social comparison strategies and their role in FM.

Am I a 6 or a 10? Mate Value Among Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer and Healthy Peers.

This study focused on self-perceived mate value of young adult survivors of childhood cancer relative to healthy peers. Qualitative studies indicate potential problems surrounding romantic relationships among survivors, but systematic studies are missing. One-hundred forty-nine childhood cancer survivors and 149 matched controls completed online questionnaires about their mate value, social comparison strategies (i.e., upward/downward identifying/contrasting strategies), and marital status. Survivors and controls were aged 20-40 (M = 27.8), 55% were female, and survivors had been treated for brain tumors (n = 52; 35%), leukemia (n = 42; 28%), lymphoma (n = 31; 21%), or other solid tumors (n = 24; 16%) at 5-33 years before study participation. Survivors and controls did not differ on overall mate value, but on individual characteristics: Survivors thought they had a better sense of humor (d = 0.36), were more loyal (d = 0.32), had higher social status (d = 0.26), and were more ambitious (d = 0.19), while also considering themselves less sexually adventurous (d = 0.31), less healthy (d = 0.26), having less desire to have children (d = 0.21), and a less attractive face (d = 0.20). Higher mate value was related to being partnered, more upward-identifying, less upward-contrasting, and less downward-identifying strategies. Moreover, less downward-identifying was associated with higher mate value in survivors, but not controls; whereas greater downward-contrasting was associated with higher mate value among controls only (R2 = 30.8%). Survivors do not generally view themselves as less valuable (potential) romantic partners, but they evaluate different characteristics either more positively or more negatively. Social comparison strategies offer targetable points of interventions to intervene on negative self-evaluations, potentially enhancing well-being.

Buscando la satisfacción vital en una residencia de mayores. Estrategias de comparación social exitosas

La psicología social ha proporcionado múltiples evidencias de cómo, compararse con otras personas puede ser una estrategia de adaptación a los cambios vitales. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar las estrategias de comparación social que utilizan las personas que viven en residencias de mayores, y su relación con el bienestar. 30 adultos de gran edad que viven en residencias de mayores. cumplimentaron una escala que medía estrategias de comparación social y otra escala de bienestar subjetivo. Resultados. Los residentes recurren en alto grado a la comparación social para juzgar su propio nivel de funcionamiento. Las comparaciones sociales más frecuentes entre los residentes son descendentes, y reflejan tanto una tendencia a la identificación como al contraste. En cualquier caso, las CS descendentes son menos frecuentes que la encontrada en adultos de gran edad no residentes. Por otro lado, se confirma que utilizar comparaciones sociales adaptativas se relaciona con mayores niveles de bienestar entre los adultos que viven en residencias de mayores. En cambio, su nivel de bienestar, no parece relacionarse con la frecuencia de uso de estrategias desadaptativas. Conclusiones. Por un lado, las CS también pueden mejorar el bienestar durante este periodo del ciclo vital. Por otro lado, las CS descendentes adquieren un significado especial en los entornos residenciales.

The role of personality in shaping social networks and mediating behavioral change

In this paper, we exploit different facets of the Friends and Family study to deal with two personality-related tasks of paramount importance for the user modeling and ubiquitous computing fields. First, we propose and validate an approach for automatic classification of personality traits based on the ego-networks' structural characteristics. Our classification results show that (i) mobile phones-based behavioral data can be superior to survey ones for the purposes of personality classification from structural network properties and (ii) particular feature set/network type combinations promise to perform better with given personality traits. Then, we investigate the mediating role played by personality in the context of inducing behavioral change, specifically increasing daily physical activity using social strategies (social comparison and peer pressure). Our results confirm the role played by Extraversion and Neuroticism. Extroverts exposed to a social comparison strategy are positively associated with an increase in physical activity level, while they tend to decrease physical activity level if they are exposed to a peer pressure intervention strategy. Regarding Neuroticism dimension, neurotic people tend to increase their physical daily activity level if they are exposed to a social comparison strategy. Our findings may have implications in designing personality-based behavioral change strategies and suggest to incorporate users' personality models in the implementation of persuasive systems.

Virtual Support Communities and Psychological Well-Being: The Role of Optimistic and Pessimistic Social Comparison Strategies

Do the beneficial or detrimental effects of CMC activity depend on the specific social comparison strategy individuals use? The present study aimed to answer this question by examining social comparison strategies, different measures of online activity within the community, and psychological well-being of users of online breast cancer support communities. Results showed that the relationship between online activity i.e., length of visits and frequency of posts and psychological well-being i.e., breast cancer related concerns and depression was determined by users' pessimistic social comparison strategy; downward identification influenced especially highly active users. Findings suggest that active CMC users should be careful not to become entrapped by negative social comparison processes.

Social Support, Social and Temporal Comparisons Protect Well-Being and Health between 45 and 70 Years Old in Four Urban Communities

This study examined the impact of social support and of temporal and social comparisons on well-being and selfreported health in four capital cities: Paris, Berlin, Moscow and Beijing. Based on the lifespan control theory, an integrative model investigating the influence of these coping strategies, especially on the psychological regulation of health losses, was tested on 1141 respondents aged 45 to 70 years by using structural equation modelling with multigroup comparisons. Results indicated a good fit of the model to participants’ responses. In all contexts, physical weaknesses favoured the use of social and temporal comparison strategies rather than social support. Moreover, across the cities, coping strategies were oriented more toward protecting self-evaluation of health than toward enhancement of well-being. Social comparison decreased the impact of physical weaknesses on health evaluation and on well-being in the four cities, but to a lesser extent in China. Results are discussed regarding the normative cross-cultural aspects that intervene during ageing in the four urban contexts.

The effects of physical activity vignettes on physical activity-related social cognitions among people with spinal cord injury

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of informational portrait vignettes for enhancing physical activity-related psychosocial cognitions in adults with spinal cord injury (n = 90). Methods: Using the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), participants were classified as being in the motivational or volitional phase of behavior change. Half of the participants were randomly allocated to read an experimental vignette, which described the physical activity behaviours, thoughts, and feelings of a character demographically similar to the reader. The remainder read a control vignette. Social cognitions were measured one-week before, and immediately after reading the vignette. Results: Analyses revealed no significant effects of the vignettes on social cognitions (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Informational portrait vignettes describing a physically active person with SCI and targeting multiple HAPA-based social cognitions are not recommended as a physical activity promotional strategy for people with SCI. The effectiveness of other types of vignettes should be examined.Implications for RehabilitationUntil further research is completed to determine whether social comparison strategies play a meditational role in accounting for the impact of a tailored informational portrait vignette to alter leisure time physical activity among those with spinal cord injury, these types of informational intervention should not be utilized in a rehabilitation, or real-world, setting.Although informational portrait vignettes may not be effective in altering leisure time physical activity social cognitions among those with spinal cord injury, different types of vignettes, such as composite vignettes, should be explored.

Exploring Body Comparison Tendencies

This study examined similarities and differences in women’s and men’s comparison tendencies and perfection beliefs when evaluating their face, body shape, and physical abilities, as well as how these tendencies and beliefs relate to their body esteem. College students (90 women and 88 men) completed the Body Esteem Scale and answered questions concerning their social comparison and temporal comparison tendencies related to face, body shape, and physical abilities evaluations as well as personal perfection body beliefs. As predicted, women were more likely than men to compare their face and bodies to other same-sex persons whom they perceived as having either similar or better physical qualities than themselves in those body domains, with their most likely comparison tendency being upward social comparison. More men than women held body perfection beliefs for all three body domains, and men were most likely to rely on future temporal comparison when evaluating their body shape. Comparison tendencies and perfection beliefs also were differentially related to women’s and men’s body esteem: Whereas women relied on self-critical social comparison strategies associated with negative body esteem, men’s comparison strategies and perfection beliefs were more self-hopeful. Implications for practitioners treating body image issues are discussed.

En busca de la belleza, entre espejismo(s) y eficacia(s). El impacto de la publicidad para productos cosméticos adelgazantes: El rol moderador de las estrategias de comparación social

The article discusses how media discourse, particularly advertisers, build some imaginary on the body that, from a psychosocial perspective, have an impact on the way audiences perceive their own physicality. Through the examination of a case-about the construction of female body image-there are examinetes the social comparison strategies deployed about these body media models and how these definitions affect gender identity and female audiences.

Coping with Genetic Risk: Living with Huntington Disease (HD)

Rapid developments in genetics suggest that more and more people will be identified ‘at risk’ for common illnesses. Genetic discoveries have the potential to improve disease outcomes, but they also highlight gaps in our knowledge about patient-level factors such as how individuals respond to a genetic threat to their health and how they cope with that threat. There have been few empirical applications of psychological theories to understand genetic testing decisions and outcomes, although there have been calls for this approach. Drawing upon interviews with individuals at risk for (or with) Huntington disease (HD), this study adopts a stress and coping framework to explore how people cope with genetic illness in the family. Qualitative data analyses revealed that coping strategies were dynamic and varied but could be classified as 1) primary control coping, 2) secondary control coping and 3) social comparison strategies. Important distinctions were observed in coping strategies among those who had undergone genetic testing and received a test result, those who remained at risk, and those affected with HD, along with their caregivers. Implications for clinical practice and genetics health services are discussed.