Social comparison theory

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Social comparison theory (Festinger 1954) is the idea that individuals learn about and assess themselves by comparison with other people. Social psychological research shows that individuals tend to lean more toward social comparisons in situations that are ambiguous.

Upward social comparison occurs where we mostly compare ourselves with people who we deem to be socially better than us in some way. Downward social comparison acts in the opposite direction.

Social comparison theory helps explain why people yearn to emulate the models they see in the media. Proposed by Leon Festinger (1957), social comparison theory suggests that people judge themselves largely in comparison to others. Want to know if you are attractive, popular, healthy, or smart? The only answer may lie in how you stack up to the people around you.

Social comparison can be useful when they enhance self-esteem or serve as the basis for reasonable self-improvement. However, they become dysfunctional when the comparison establishes an unrealistic standard (like being super-model thin or weight-lifter strong). Ironically, even those with super model looks are not spared from criticism. When actress Alicia Silverstone appeared a few pounds heavier than usual at the Academy Awards in 1996, tabloids mocked her cruelly. In reference to her appearance in Batman and Robin, headlines taunted: "Batman and Fatgirl" and "Look Out Batman! Here Comes Buttgirl!"

(Du Pre, 2005)