Theory application process this section gives the name of the theory, application, or planning process and is followed by the name of the main contributorsauthors and where applicable some suggested resources are provided if you would like to find out more. Social comparison theory emphasized the individual as the causal agent, standing out against a rather nonproblem atic environment guiot, 1978, p. The theory proposes that individuals have an internal drive to evaluate their own opinions and desires by comparing themselves to others. Within each section, topics are listed in the chart alphabetically. Marx was a witness to oppression perpetrated by societys elite members against the masses of poor.
Social comparison is a wellknown concept to advertisers. The theory of downward comparison posits that persons experiencing negative affect can enhance their subjective wellbeing through comparison with a less fortunate other, the process occurring on. Moreover, social comparison processes are central to other prominent the. While social comparison has been given only modest attention in the networks literature, it is a ubiquitous feature of social life as this volume shows, with widereaching implications for decision making and behavior.
A recent test of social information processing theory showed little effect of anonymous social cues on choices of brief tasks kilduff regan, 1988. Leon festingers social comparison theory the psychology. The theory is a term referring to the process through which people come to know themselves by evaluating their own attitudes, abilities, and beliefs in comparison with. Theory and research concerning social comparisons of personal. The theory also considers the consequences of personal and social identities for individual perceptions and group behaviour. The old one states that members of a particular group would want to be parallel with each other because a uniform agreement must be made so that the group is able to come up with a common decision. Occurring frequently in our lives, social comparison shapes our perceptions, memory, and behavioreven regarding the most trivial of issues. Theory and research concerning social comparisons of. Fifty years ago, festinger 1954 published a theory of social comparison. Richins 1991, comparison of material possessions richins 1992, and consumer sensitivity to social comparison information bearden and rose 1990. Jun 11, 2017 a lot of earlier research had impact on festingers formulation of the social comparison theory, and these include studies on social groups, group dynamics, social communication, conformity and the autokinetic effect, compliant behavior, level of aspiration, and independence and dependence in response to unanimous majority. This paper furthers festingers views on group influences of opinions and applies it to abilities as well.
This states that people evaluate their own abilities and attitude relative to other peoples. In most cases, we try to compare ourselves to those in our peer group or with whom we are similar. Nor does the process of constant comparison ensure the grounding of data whether grounding is used in a positivistic or interpretive sense. When the achievements of others cause you discomfort, become aware of the negative emotion. Apr 08, 2017 the social comparison theory was developed by social psychologist leon festinger. While opinions and abilities may, at first glance, seem to be. Additional work stimulated by social comparison theory has also indicated that the process may be an important component of body image disturbances. Jul 22, 2019 social identity theory is built on three key cognitive components. Festinger 1954 proposed that social comparison was driven by a need to evaluate ourselves so that we had more information about ourselves. This theory was proposed by abraham maslow and is based on the assumption that people are motivated by a series of five universal needs. The constant comparative analysis method outside of grounded. Social identity theory, in social psychology, the study of the interplay between personal and social identities. The theory is a term referring to the process through which people come to know themselves by evaluating their own attitudes, abilities, and beliefs in comparison with others cherry, n. A theory of social comparison processes leon festinger, 1954.
Not all who experience the same conditions turn out the same way. A theory of social comparison processes, retrieved september 12, 2007, from hum. Examined in these terms, classical social comparison theory is found wanting in two respects. The concept of social comparison was first termed and fully developed by festinger 1954, who hypothesized that we are unable to selfjudge our opinions and abilities accurately, and instead rely on comparing ourselves to other people to form an evaluation. There is a section for theories, applications, and planning processes. The social comparison theory was initially proposed by social psychologist leon festinger in 1954. Social comparison theory essay sample new york essays. Later published as social comparison processes in organizations. Based on the theory about social comparison described above. We do this because we have a drive to become better. The theory explains how individuals evaluate their own opinions and abilities by comparing themselves to others in order to reduce uncertainty in these domains, and learn how to define the self. Study of motivation involving selfannounced goals of fifth grade children and the concept of level of aspiration, journal of social psychology, 1939, 10, 209. Social identity theory aims to specify and predict the circumstances under which individuals think of themselves as individuals or as group members. Today, thirtyfive social and cognitive psychologists who share a.
In other words, its a metric designed to determine the effort poured in by an individual in a persontoperson relationship. Payne 1997 argues that social work theory succeeds best when it contains all three elements of perspective, theory and model. The table for each theory, application or planning process consists of three parts. Key theories, applications, and planning processes related. It must be clear that constant comparison, the data analysis method, does not in and of itself constitute a grounded theory design.
Festinger argued that humans have a drive to evaluate their opinions and abilities. Social comparison theory has evolved considerably since festinger 1954 originally proposed it. They act together in the manner in which they affect behavior. Description this section gives a brief description of the key concepts of the. Study of motivation involving selfannounced goals of fifth grade children and the concept of level of aspiration, journal of social psychology, 1939, 10, 209232. The theory also specifies the ways in which social identity can influence intergroup. Miller hemisphere publishing company, 1977 psychology 371 pages. This study examined the implications for social comparison theory of the proposition that women have lower selfconfidence than men when there is a socially defined standard of performance. In this module, we will take a closer look at the reasons we make social comparisons and the consequences of the social comparison process. You can be signed in via any or all of the methods shown below at the same time. While opinions and abilities may, at first glance, seem to be quite different things, there is a close functional tie between them. Early research in social psychology on level of aspiration and on reference groups contributed to leon festingers social comparison theory, which he proposed in 1954. In this theory, it simply asserts that the process in which people learn about themselves by comparing themselves to other members of society.
This theory explains how individuals evaluate their own opinions and desires by comparing themselves to others. Social identity is the part of the self that is defined by ones group memberships. The conflict theory is a macrolevel theory designed to study the larger social, national, regional, or global levels of sociological phenomena. Contributors describe how the original social comparison theory formulated by leon festinger in the early 1950s has been modified as a result of new insights from attribution, social cognition, and self theories. The hidden process of social comparison triggers the painful processes of envy. Key theories, applications, and planning processes related to. A persons cognition his opinions and beliefs about the situation in which he exists and his. Social comparison theory social comparison theory the social comparison theory was proposed by the social psychologist leon festinger in 1954. Social comparison allows us to either learn about ourselves or feel good about ourselves, but rarely both.
Festingers social comparison theory psychology essay. According to festingers 1954 formulation of social comparison theory. Social comparison theory festinger was the first to coin the term social comparison however, the general concepts can be traced back to aristotle and plato. Effectiveness of upward and downward social comparison of. We draw not only on research that has directly examined competition but also on studies in social comparison and related fields that have significant implications for its analysis. Social comparisons are defined as comparative judgements made about a stimulus from the environment. A theory of social comparison processes leon festinger. Social comparison and the beauty of advertising models. Comparison does appear to be a basic human motive, and social psychology abounds in theories concerning comparison see pettigrew 1967. Apr 20, 2018 social exchange theory is a concept based on the notion that a relationship between two people is created through a process of costbenefit analysis. Sign in here to access free tools such as favourites and alerts, or to access. Schiff1 1university of michigan and 2university of notre dame abstract social comparisonthe tendency to selfevaluate by comparing ourselves to othersis an important source of competitive behavior. Social identity and social comparison springerlink. The theory explains how individuals evaluate their own opinions and abilities by comparing themselves to others in order to reduce uncertainty in these.
Plato spoke of selfunderstanding and absolute standards. A valuable source of stateofthe art information, it also discusses how comparison processes have increased understanding in. Social comparison the comparative nature of selfviews means that people must consult the social world to gain selfknowledge. A social comparison approach to organizational choice under what circumstances does social information affect choices. Theories, models and perspectives cheat sheet for field. The social comparison process occurring on facebook and its impacts, however, has not been fully captured.
Generally, individuals wish to maintain a positive social identity by maintaining their groups favorable social standing over that of relevant outgroups. Social learning theory men learn their violent behavior in their family of origin, and from a culture that rewards anger and violence in men. Social control may be direct, formal, and coercive, as exemplified by uniformed symbols of the state. Pdf social comparisons comparisons between the self and others are a. The social comparison theory what are the ill effects of social comparison. Heinberg and thompson 1992 asked 297 women and men to rate the importance of different comparison groups i. Is the social environment an inactive backdrop in social comparison. In this paper we shall present a further development of a previously published theory concerning opinion influence processes in social. After the 1966 supplement, work by pettigrew, brickman, and wheeler and the linkage of social comparison to attribution theory rekindled interest in comparison processes. Abstract social comparison theory itself has enabled marketers to understand better several types of marketing phenomenon, including comparing ones physical attractiveness to advertising models martin and kennedy 1993, 1994. A lot of earlier research had impact on festingers formulation of the social comparison theory, and these include studies on social groups, group dynamics, social communication, conformity and the autokinetic effect, compliant behavior, level of aspiration, and independence and dependence in response to unanimous majority. A theory of social comparison processes center for human science.
Social comparison theory in psychology verywell mind. Section 5 social process theories 153 theory are control theories because they point to situations or circumstances anomie or social disorganization that lessen control of individuals behavior. This volume, consisting of a series of original chapters by leading professionals in the field, presents the most advanced thinking and research on this topic. The 1954 theory of social comparison processes had its roots in two research areas that had concerned festinger prior to 1954. Specifically, we shall develop below how the theory applies to the appraisal and evaluation of abilities as well as opinions. Theoryapplicationprocess this section gives the name of the theory, application, or planning process and. The present research uses social comparison theory as a framework to study the effects of social networks on the organizational choice process. There are three levels of analysis to social comparative theory. However, in the three decades since the publication of this work, social comparison theory has evolved in several ways. The social comparison process involves people coming to know themselves by evaluating their own attitudes, abilities, and beliefs in comparison with others. Social comparison and the idealized images of advertising. Social comparison theory, initially proposed by social psychologist leon festinger in 1954, centers on the belief that there is a drive within individuals to gain accurate selfevaluations. During the past decade, social comparison processes have been the focus of considerable research and theorizing in social psychology.
Social norms and social influence columbia university. There exists, in the human organism, a drive to evaluate his opinions and his abilities. The social comparison theory was developed by social psychologist leon festinger. Social comparison is an aspect of social perception, and has developed from a theory initially proposed by social psychologist leon festinger in 1954. Social process theories 149 section 5 the social structural theories discussed in the previous section only explain part of the possible reason that kody scott chose the path in life he did. People make all kinds of judgments about themselves, and one of the key ways that we do this is through social comparison, or analyzing the self in relation to.
The theory was kept alive by schachters work on affiliation and emotions and by the papers published in latanes 1966 jesp social comparison supplement. This insight forms the heart of festingers social comparison theory festinger, 1954. When psychologists think of social comparison theory, they initially recall leon festingers classic paper on a theory of social comparison processes. Social comparison theory states that individuals determine their own social and personal worth based on how they stack up against others. People sometimes compare themselves to others as a way of. Leon festinger we can choose to compare people at the top or bottom.
Social comparison theory was first proposed in 1954 by psychologist leon festinger and suggested that people have an innate drive to evaluate themselves, often in comparison to others. Social comparison theory festinger 1954 is directly applicable to the notion that consumers compare themselves with persons portrayed in ads. Pdf a theory of social comparison processes semantic scholar. It is the time and the process of this constant comparison that determines whether the analysis is deductive and will produce a testable theory or whether the analysis is inductive and will build a theory for a particular context. Social attitudes towards money and wealth also decides the motivation to earn more and more.
Theory festingers social comparison theory is a successor of his theory of. Any theory of the social group therefore would be a strange theory indeed if it did not deal with social comparison processes. Pdf a theory of social comparison processes semantic. Thus, the present study examined the associations among facebook use, social comparison orientation on facebook scof, and psychological outcomes represented by perceived social support and mental health. In this paper we shall present a further development of a previously published theory concerning opinion influence processes in social groups 7.
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