Social+comparison+and+social+networking+sites

Introduction to Social Comparison on SNSs

  • Impact of Social Networking Sites (SNSs)

    • SNSs facilitate social comparisons at an unprecedented scale.

    • Concern about negative impacts on subjective well-being (SWB).

  • Key Areas of Research

    • Antecedents of social comparisons on SNSs.

    • Consequences of social comparisons on SWB.

    • Social comparison as a mediating or moderating factor between SNS use and SWB.

Characteristics of SNS Users

  • User Behavior and Comparisons

    • Factors influencing social comparisons include personality traits and usage patterns.

    • Passive use leads to increased social comparisons.

  • Examples of SNS Platforms

    • Facebook: 2.5 billion monthly active users.

    • Instagram: 1 billion users.

    • Twitter: 330 million users.

    • Average of over 2 hours spent on SNSs each day by users globally.

Understanding Social Comparison

  • Definition

    • Social comparison involves using others to assess one’s own abilities or to shape thoughts and emotions.

  • Types of Comparisons

    • Upward Comparison: Comparing oneself to those perceived as superior.

    • Downward Comparison: Comparing oneself to those perceived as inferior.

  • Outcomes of Comparisons

    • Assimilation: Positive self-evaluation after upward comparisons.

    • Contrast: Negative self-evaluation after upward comparisons.

  • Prevalence

    • More comparisons occur when targets are perceived as similar.

    • The idealization of others on SNSs fosters upwards comparisons.

Factors Influencing Social Comparison

  • Predictors of Social Comparison

    • Personal attributes, especially neuroticism, relate to increased upward comparison and envy.

    • The motives for engaging with SNSs impact comparison tendencies.

  • Usage Styles

    • Active Usage: Engaging directly with others through posts and messages.

    • Passive Usage: Browsing content without interaction leads to heightened feelings of envy and worsened SWB.

  • Research Evidence

    • Meta-analytic studies show a strong negative correlation between passive SNS use and SWB, while active use may enhance SWB.

Consequences of Social Comparison on SWB

  • General Findings

    • Social comparisons typically result in a decrease in SWB.

    • Upward comparisons have a medium-sized negative effect on SWB.

    • Not all comparisons lead to negative outcomes; certain contexts (e.g., opinion comparisons) may result in neutral or positive outcomes.

  • Downward Comparisons

    • Usually do not decrease SWB.

  • Response to Comparisons

    • Assimilation to positive targets can inspire, whereas contrast leads to negative feelings and self-doubt.

Social Comparison: Mediator or Moderator?

  • As a Mediator