Social Comparison Theory and Media Stereotypes (Vocabulary)

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts of Festinger’s social comparison theory, its mechanisms, effects, applications, and related media stereotypes.

Social Comparison Theory

Leon Festinger’s 1954 theory that people have an innate drive to evaluate themselves by comparing abilities, opinions, and behaviors with others.

Leon Festinger

Psychologist who proposed the social comparison theory in the 1950s.

Upward social comparison

Comparing oneself to someone perceived as superior in a domain; can motivate self-improvement.

Downward social comparison

Comparing oneself to someone perceived as worse off; can boost self-esteem.

Lateral social comparison

Comparing oneself to peers with similar attributes; provides validation and belonging.

Self-esteem

A person’s overall evaluation of their own worth.

Self-worth

One’s sense of personal value or worth.

Motivation

A drive to pursue goals; can be sparked by observing others who excel.

Ambition

A strong desire to achieve that can be fueled by social comparisons.

Competition

A drive to outperform others; influenced by social comparison.

Collaboration

Cooperation and teamwork that can be fostered by lateral comparisons.

Consumer behavior and social comparison

Purchasing decisions shaped by perceived social standards and aspirational imagery.

Social media and self-esteem

Online platforms’ curated lives can affect users’ self-esteem.

Education and performance

Using social comparison to motivate students by highlighting achievements.

Health and well-being

Framing health improvements through lateral comparisons to motivate change.

Workplace dynamics

How social comparison influences perception of performance and professional development.

Advertising and marketing

Campaigns use aspirational comparisons to influence consumer choices.

Stereotype

A widely held, fixed, and oversimplified belief about a group.

Media representation

How groups are portrayed in films, ads, and stories, shaping biases.

Image imprinting

Early formation of biases from exposure to images in stories, films, and advertisements.