How can comparison help you?
Social comparison can be highly beneficial when people use social networks to push themselves . In a study, friendly competition was highly effe...
Is it better to compare yourself to those doing better or worse than you are?
People generally engage in either upward or downward comparisons. In upward comparisons, we compare ourselves with those we believe are better than...
Can envy ever be a positive emotion?
Envy is usually an unpleasant feeling that can lead to brooding, resentment, or even violence. Some psychologists, however, have suggested that peo...
Why can comparisons make people feel bad?
Comparisons are likelier to make us feel bad when we make the error of only comparing ourselves to paragons of certain traits. For example, many...
Is social media harmful to self-esteem?
Constantly checking social-media feeds full of images from parties, concerts, or other aspirational events can diminish self-esteem and contribut...
How can I stop comparing myself to others?
To be less vulnerable to painful comparisons, notice the people or events that prompt the behavior. Commit to being deeply grateful for what’s go...
What’s the better-than-average effect?
It's been widely proven that people tend to believe that they are above average when it comes to desirable traits such as intelligence . But thi...
Are men or women more likely to think they’re better than average?
Two-thirds of Americans believe their intelligence is above average, but men are much more likely to inflate themselves than women; in surveys, m...
Why do narcissists need to outdo everyone else?
Grandiosity is a core trait of many individuals high in narcissism . But seeing themselves as superior also requires seeing everyone else as bene...
Who introduced the theory of social comparison?
The theory of social comparison was developed by cognitive psychologist Leon Festinger in 1954. His article, "A Theory of Social Comparison Process...
What are the types of social comparisons?
Social comparison is broken down into two types, based on direction. Upward comparison occurs when a person compares themselves to someone perceive...
What does the social comparison theory state?
Social comparison theory states that people will try to compare themselves to others in order to self-evaluate. This need for self-evaluation comes...
Background
How Social Comparison Process Works
Examples
A Word from Verywell