Abstract
Ninety-four college students recorded details of their social comparisons over 2 weeks using a new instrument, the Rochester Social Comparison Record. Major results were (a) comparison direction varied with relationship with the target; (b) precomparison negative mood led more often to upward comparison than to downward comparison, supporting a selective affect-cognition priming model in which dysphoria primes negative thoughts about the self (Bower, 1991; Forgas, Bower, & Moylan, 1990) rather than a motivational self-enhancement model (Wills, 1981, 1991); (c) upward comparison decreased subjective well-being, whereas downward comparison increased it; and (d) high self-esteem individuals engaged in more self-enhancing comparison.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 760-773 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Journal of Personality and Social Psychology |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - May 1992 |
| Externally published | Yes |