TY - JOUR
T1 - Why some women can feel more, and others less, attractive after exposure to attractive targets
T2 - The role of social comparison orientation
AU - Bosch, A. Zwenneke
AU - Buunk, Abraham P.
AU - Siero, Frans W.
AU - Park, Justin H.
PY - 2010/8/1
Y1 - 2010/8/1
N2 - As the tendency to compare oneself with others may be associated with the tendency to focus on similarities, we hypothesized that individual differences in social comparison orientation (SCO) may moderate the consequences of upward and downward comparisons. In Study 1, high comparers were found to focus more on similarities than low comparers, suggesting that high comparers are more likely to assimilate in general. In Study 2, SCO was found to be positively associated with mood following exposure to an attractive target, and negatively associated with mood following exposure to a less attractive target. In Studies 2 and 3, SCO was found to be positively associated with self-evaluations of attractiveness following exposure to an attractive target and negatively associated with self-evaluations of attractiveness following exposure to a less attractive target. These results indicate that research on the consequences of social comparison must attend to individual differences in SCO.
AB - As the tendency to compare oneself with others may be associated with the tendency to focus on similarities, we hypothesized that individual differences in social comparison orientation (SCO) may moderate the consequences of upward and downward comparisons. In Study 1, high comparers were found to focus more on similarities than low comparers, suggesting that high comparers are more likely to assimilate in general. In Study 2, SCO was found to be positively associated with mood following exposure to an attractive target, and negatively associated with mood following exposure to a less attractive target. In Studies 2 and 3, SCO was found to be positively associated with self-evaluations of attractiveness following exposure to an attractive target and negatively associated with self-evaluations of attractiveness following exposure to a less attractive target. These results indicate that research on the consequences of social comparison must attend to individual differences in SCO.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77957231208&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ejsp.654
DO - 10.1002/ejsp.654
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77957231208
SN - 0046-2772
VL - 40
SP - 847
EP - 855
JO - European journal of social psychology
JF - European journal of social psychology
IS - 5
ER -