2017/02/17 by Kathryn Bruchmann
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Behavioral Health and Interventions #Cultural Differences and Values #Social and Intergroup Psychology
paper · doi:10.1080/01973533.2017.1281808
openalex publication_date 2017/02/17 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Two experiments demonstrate the importance of control groups in social comparison research. When comparing to downward targets leads to more favorable self-evaluations than comparing to upward targets, results are often interpreted as demonstrating bidirectional contrast effects. However, without a no-comparison control group, these claims cannot be supported. The present experiments provided participants with performance feedback; some participants received information about an upward target, a downward target, or a bidirectional target (one upward, one downward). Results suggest that social comparison effects are not always bidirectional: Downward and bidirectional comparisons led to contrast whereas upward comparisons were not different from the control. Experiment 2 assessed the role of lateral targets. Overall, results suggest that existing interpretations of contrast effects should be reexamined.