Question

Ariana and Misha looked at the music charts. Ariana compared herself to Adelle (Ariana thinks she is worse than Adelle), while Misha compared herself to Mariah (Misha thinks she is better than Mariah). Name and define the processes in which Ariana and Misha engaged, respectively. Describe Ariana’s and Misha’s self-esteem before and after they make their comparisons. Assume that Ariana and Misha start out with the same level of self-esteem.

Answer 1

Ariana seems to have engaged in upward comparisons as she has compared herself with an individual or comparison group that she perceives as superior or better than herself. Although social comparison research has suggested that upward comparisons can lower self-regard, it can also lead Ariana to evaluate and improve herself. On the other hand, Misha appears to have engaged in downward social comparison, which is a defensive used when a person looks to another individual or group that they consider to be worse off than themselves in order to feel better about their self or personal situation. As a result, Misha is likely to experience a boost in her self-esteem.