Social comparison bias is a cognitive bias in which individuals exhibit feelings of dislike and competitiveness toward others perceived as superior in physical, social, or intellectual aspects. Social comparison bias is closely associated with social comparison theory, which suggests that individuals assess their own value by comparing themselves to others. This theory was developed in 1954 by psychologist

Leon Festinger Leon Festinger (8 May 1919 – 11 February 1989) was an American social psychologist who originated the theory of cognitive dissonance and social comparison theory. The rejection of the previously dominant behaviorist view of social psycholo ...

. It is believed to play a significant role in achievement motivation, feelings of

injustice Injustice is a quality relating to unfairness or undeserved outcomes. The term may be applied in reference to a particular event or situation, or to a larger status quo. In Western philosophy and jurisprudence, injustice is very commonly—but ...

, depression,

jealousy Jealousy generally refers to the thoughts or feelings of Emotional insecurity, insecurity, fear, and concern over a relative lack of possessions or safety. Jealousy can consist of one or more emotions such as anger, resentment, inadequacy, he ...

, and individuals' willingness to remain in relationships or jobs. The theory posits that individuals strive to achieve favorable outcomes relative to their peers. For example, a person may compare the affordability of their frequent shopping locations to the designer stores visited by their peers. Such comparisons may lead to emotions such as

resentment Resentment (also called ranklement or bitterness) is a complex, multilayered emotion that has been described as a mixture of disappointment, disgust and anger. Other psychologists consider it a Mood (psychology), mood or as a secondary emotion ( ...

anger Anger, also known as wrath ( ; ) or rage (emotion), rage, is an intense emotional state involving a strong, uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived provocation, hurt, or threat. A person experiencing anger will often experie ...

, and

envy Envy is an emotion which occurs when a person lacks another's quality, skill, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it. Envy can also refer to the wish for another person to lack something one already ...

. The bias predominantly revolves around

wealth Wealth is the abundance of valuable financial assets or physical possessions which can be converted into a form that can be used for transactions. This includes the core meaning as held in the originating Old English word , which is from an ...

and

social status Social status is the relative level of social value a person is considered to possess. Such social value includes respect, honour, honor, assumed competence, and deference. On one hand, social scientists view status as a "reward" for group members ...

and often operates unconsciously, with individuals largely unaware of their engagement in such comparisons. In most cases, individuals compare themselves with members of their

peer group In sociology, a peer group is both a social group and a primary group of people who have similar interests ( homophily), age, background, or social status. Members of peer groups are likely to influence each others' beliefs and behaviour. Durin ...

or others perceived as similar.

Research

Numerous studies have explored social comparison and its effects on

mental health Mental health is often mistakenly equated with the absence of mental illness. However, mental health refers to a person's overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences how individuals think, feel, and behave, and how t ...

. One study examined the relationship between depression and social comparison. Thwaites and Dagnan, in "Moderating Variables in the Relationship Between Social Comparison and Depression," investigated the impact of social comparison using an evolutionary framework. They hypothesized that depression could result from frequent social comparisons. The study examined the moderating effects of an individual's perception of the importance of comparison dimensions and their perceived importance to others. Depression levels were measured using the Self Attributes Questionnaire, developed by Pelham and Swann in 1989. This questionnaire featured ten-point

Likert scale A Likert scale ( ,) is a psychometric scale named after its inventor, American social psychologist Rensis Likert, which is commonly used in research questionnaires. It is the most widely used approach to scaling responses in survey research, s ...

ratings across ten social comparison dimensions, including

intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as t ...

social skills A social skill is any competence facilitating interaction and communication with others where social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in verbal and nonverbal ways. The process of learning these skills is called socia ...

, and

sense of humor Humour (Commonwealth English) or humor (American English) is the tendency of experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The term derives from the humoral medicine of the ancient Greeks, which taught that the balance of fluids in t ...

. Data were collected from a mixed clinical and non-clinical sample of 174 individuals. The findings suggested that individuals who engaged in frequent social comparison exhibited higher levels of depression than those who did so infrequently. Two primary types of social comparison have been identified: upward and downward comparisons. Upward comparisons occur when individuals compare themselves to those perceived as superior, which can foster motivation or, conversely, lead to feelings of inadequacy. In contrast, downward comparisons involve comparing oneself to those perceived as less fortunate, which can result in a temporary boost in self-esteem.

Cognitive effects

One of the significant psychological effects of social comparison bias is its association with depression. Depression is typically diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (

DSM-IV The ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (''DSM''; latest edition: ''DSM-5-TR'', published in March 2022) is a publication by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) for the classification of mental disorders using a com ...

) criteria and is characterized by symptoms such as depressed mood,

hopelessness Depression is a mental state of low mood and aversion to activity. It affects about 3.5% of the global population, or about 280 million people worldwide, as of 2020. Depression affects a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings, and sense o ...

, and sleep disturbances, including both

hypersomnia Hypersomnia is a neurological disorder of excessive time spent sleeping or excessive sleepiness. It can have many possible causes (such as seasonal affective disorder) and can cause distress and problems with functioning. In the fifth edition ...

and

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...

. Research indicates that

clinical depression Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Intro ...

can be influenced by various factors, including biological predispositions such as

hippocampus The hippocampus (: hippocampi; via Latin from Ancient Greek, Greek , 'seahorse'), also hippocampus proper, is a major component of the brain of humans and many other vertebrates. In the human brain the hippocampus, the dentate gyrus, and the ...

shrinkage and decreased levels of

serotonin Serotonin (), also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a monoamine neurotransmitter with a wide range of functions in both the central nervous system (CNS) and also peripheral tissues. It is involved in mood, cognition, reward, learning, ...

. Another psychological consequence of social comparison bias is

suicidal ideation Suicidal ideation, or suicidal thoughts, is the thought process of having ideas or ruminations about the possibility of dying by suicide.World Health Organization, ''ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics'', ver. 09/2020MB26.A Suicidal i ...

, defined as persistent thoughts about

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

and

suicide attempt A suicide attempt is an act in which an individual tries to kill themselves but survives. Mental health professionals discourage describing suicide attempts as "failed" or "unsuccessful", as doing so may imply that a suicide resulting in death is ...

s. Suicidal ideation can be triggered when individuals perceive themselves as failing to meet social expectations, leading to diminished

self-esteem Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth, abilities, or morals. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself (for example, "I am loved", "I am worthy") as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Smith and Macki ...

. Additionally, social comparison bias can increase

anxiety Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner wikt:turmoil, turmoil and includes feelings of dread over Anticipation, anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response ...

levels, particularly regarding personal progress, social standing, and physical appearance. This can manifest as

social anxiety Social anxiety is the anxiety and fear specifically linked to being in social settings (i.e., interacting with others). Some categories of disorders associated with social anxiety include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, autism spectrum dis ...

and avoidance behaviors, particularly in situations where individuals feel scrutinized in comparison to others.

Physical and behavioral effects

Social comparison bias can lead individuals to engage in harmful coping mechanisms, including

substance abuse Substance misuse, also known as drug misuse or, in older vernacular, substance abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder, differing definition ...

self-harm Self-harm refers to intentional behaviors that cause harm to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues, usually without suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting, self-abuse, self-injury, and s ...

(e.g.,

cutting Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for wikt:cut, cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the sca ...

), and

eating disorder An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that adversely affect a person's health, physical or mental health, mental health. These behaviors may include eating too much food or too little food. Types of eatin ...

s such as

anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa (AN), often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by Calorie restriction, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. Individuals wit ...

and

bulimia nervosa Bulimia nervosa, also known simply as bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating (eating large quantities of food in a short period of time, often feeling out of control) followed by compensatory behaviors, such as self-indu ...

Social comparison bias in media

Mainstream media In journalism, mainstream media (MSM) is a term and abbreviation used to refer collectively to the various large Mass media, mass news media that influence many people and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought.Noam Chomsky, Choms ...

significantly influences social comparison. Advertisements, magazines, television, and online content often present idealized beauty standards, leading individuals to compare themselves to these depictions. Such comparisons can contribute to decreased

and increased depression. Research suggests that social comparison related to media exposure plays a role in the development of

, negative

body image Body image is a person's thoughts, feelings and perception of the aesthetics or sexual attractiveness of their own body. The concept of body image is used in several disciplines, including neuroscience, psychology, medicine, psychiatry, psycho ...

, and

Social comparison in education

Social comparison is also prevalent in educational settings. Students often evaluate their academic performance relative to their peers, influencing their

self-concept In the psychology of self, one's self-concept (also called self-construction, self-identity, self-perspective or self-structure) is a collection of beliefs about oneself. Generally, self-concept embodies the answer to the question ''"Who am I? ...

and motivation. High-performing students may experience lower self-concept when surrounded by equally high-achieving peers, while those in lower-performing groups may develop a relatively higher self-concept.

Conclusion

Social comparison bias affects multiple aspects of daily life, influencing mental health, self-esteem, and social behaviors. It is particularly prevalent in contexts such as social media, mainstream media, and education. Research indicates that frequent social comparisons are associated with higher levels of depression and

, underscoring the importance of awareness and coping strategies.

References

{{Biases Cognitive biases

Research

Cognitive effects

Physical and behavioral effects

Social comparison bias in media

Social comparison in education

Conclusion

See also

References