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Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 31, No. 6, 795-803 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0146167204271634
© 2005 Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Connecting the Horizontal Dimension of Social Comparison With Self-Worth and Self-Confidence

Kenneth D. Locke

University of Idaho, klocke{at}uidaho.edu

Multilevel modeling of undergraduates (N = 229) event-contingent records of naturalistic social comparison experiences revealed distinct correlates of the horizontal (similar-different) dimension and vertical (better-worse) dimension of comparisons. Complementing past studies showing associations between the horizontal dimension and communal dispositions and experiences, the current study showed that the horizontal dimension also is associated with agentic dispositions and experiences such as self-worth and self-confidence. For example, participants perceived more similarity when comparing with targets’ desirable attributes than with targets’ undesirable attributes and perceiving similarities with desirable target attributes (and dissimilarities with undesirable target attributes) enhanced their self-confidence. Participants higher in self-worth (high in self-esteem and low in depression) were more discriminating in their experiences of similarity and connection; specifically, they reported more similarity and connection when targets’ attributes were desirable but less connection the more targets’ attributes were inferior to their own.

Key Words: social comparison • agentic • communal • social desirability • self-worth


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