social+comparisons

toc = = = 1375986296 = = = = Definition: = The process of drawing conclusions about the self based on comparisons to others. It plays an integral role in in the degree to which children gain insight into their own self-efficacy from observing peers. HGD Chapter 10 p. 249

= Examples: = To determine how talented of an artist someone is, they will compare themselves to a friend on a similar level. They do this instead of comparing themselves to someone like Michelangelo (on a much higher level) or a 6 year old (on a lower level).

Society has implanted an image in our heads of what women are supposed to look like. Many young girl tend to compare themselves to models. If a girl wasn't skinny or if she didn't look "superficial," then she'd consider herself overweight and unattractive.



= Analogies: = Comparing an apple to other fruits, rather than comparing it to a vegetable or unrelated food.

= Mnemonics: = [insert mnemonics here] (give a mnemonic in place of the bracketed text above, then delete these instructions. Please do not delete instructions unless you are adding something to this section. If you don't know of any mnemonics, leave this section unchanged for someone else to improve on. See Sample Page for a definition and an example of a mnemonic.)

=In the News:= [|Social Comparison at Your Disposal] The link above leads to an article that is a great example of how everyday, anyone is able to easily access a way to use social comparison (in usually a negative way). The internet is an always open channel to comparing oneself to others even as an adult, usually making one feel worse about themselves.

[|Social Comparison as an Adult] This article describes how social comparison is strongly turned to through Facebook even as an adult. Young adults compare their own lives to the lives of others through social networking, sometimes causing a negative effect. Being tempted to compare oneself to peers through Facebook is a perfect example of social comparison at work.

=Discussion Area:= include component="comments" page="social comparisons" limit="10"