PSYCH 280 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Self Esteem (Song), Social Comparison Theory, Reference Group
Document Summary
We can"t understand ourselves without a reference group. Social comparison theory - we compare ourselves to others to evaluate our opinions, abilities, and internal states. Motivated to evaluate opinions and abilities accurately. When objective standards are missing, we compare ourselves to others. Told they got 40% or 60% correct. Told they did better or worse than other students. Students felt better when they were told they got 40% correct and did better than others rather than when they were told they got 60% correct and did worse than others. Takeaway: sometimes relative ability is more important than absolute ability. Comparing ourselves to people who are better than we are on a particular trait or ability. Defensive tendency to compare ourselves with others who are worse off. Self esteem, self enhancement, feel better about yourself. Temporal comparison of current self to past self. Self esteem - positive or negative overall evaluation we have of ourselves.
