social comparison and self awareness

Social Comparison

Festinger's idea that people evaluate their opinions and abilities by comparing themselves with others, especially when objective standards are unavailable.

Upward Social Comparison

Comparing yourself with someone who performs better or is in a more favorable position than you.

Downward Social Comparison

Comparing yourself with someone who performs worse or is in a less favorable position than you.

Effects of Upward Comparison

Upward comparison may motivate improvement but can also make people feel inadequate.

Effects of Downward Comparison

Downward comparison can help maintain self-esteem by making people feel better about their own situation.

Self-Awareness Theory

The theory that focusing attention on yourself makes you compare your behavior with personal standards and expectations.

What Can People Do When Self-Aware?

They can change their behavior to match their standards, change their standards, or avoid situations that make them self-aware.

Csikszentmihalyi (1982) Beeper Study

The study found that people who reported thinking about themselves more frequently were more likely to report unhappiness; approximately 8% of thoughts were about the self in the notes.

Halloween Mirror Study

A study in which children were less likely to cheat when a mirror made them more self-aware.

Mirror and Stereotypes Research

Research suggesting that increased self-awareness can reduce the expression of stereotypical behavior.

Negative Feedback, Mirror, and Wine Drinking Study

Research showing that negative feedback combined with self-awareness could increase wine consumption.

Self-Awareness After Success

Self-awareness may be less unpleasant after a major success because the person feels positively about themselves.

Causal Theories

Culturally shared beliefs about what causes feelings and behaviors; these beliefs can be inaccurate.

Self-Handicapping

Creating obstacles or excuses before a performance so that failure can be blamed on those obstacles rather than ability.

Berglas and Jones Self-Handicapping Study

Participants expecting a difficult test were more likely to choose a performance-impairing drug, creating an excuse for possible failure.