Social comparison processes in social phobia

doi:10.1016/S0005-7894(05)80055-3

Behavior Therapy

Volume 36, Issue 1, Winter 2005, Pages 65-75

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(05)80055-3 Get rights and content

This study used diaries to investigate social comparison processes in 59 individuals with social phobia (SP) and 58 nonclinical controls. Although groups did not differ on the total number of comparisons made during the 2-week study period, those with SP made significantly more upward comparisons (i.e., comparisons where the individual assesses him- or herself as not measuring up to others) and significantly fewer downward comparisons (i.e., comparisons where the individual assesses him- or herself as superior to others) relative to controls. SP was also associated with comparisons on a greater number of dimensions or attributes and more comparisons on particular dimensions. Those in the SP group tended to experience greater changes in affect following social comparisons than those in the comparison group. For example, upward comparisons tended to lead to increased anxiety and depression, particularly for the socially anxious participants. Implications for these findings are discussed.

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^*: This study was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Martin M. Antony, Principal Investigator).

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Original ResearchSocial comparison processes in social phobia*

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

Journal of Affective Disorders

Behavior Therapy

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

Clinical Psychology Review

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Social comparison processes in depression

Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders

When perfect isn't good enough: Strategies for coping with perfectionism

Effects of social comparison direction, threat, and self-esteem on affect, self-evaluation, and expected success

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Manual for Beck Depression Inventory-II

Dysfunctional attitudes, perfectionism, and models of vulnerability to depression

Current and lifetime comorbidity of the DSM-IV anxiety and mood disorders in a large clinical sample

Journal of Abnormal Psychology

Scientific foundations of cognitive theory and therapy of depression

A cognitive model of social phobia

Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences

For better or worse: The impact of upward social comparison on self-evaluations

Psychological Bulletin

The relationship of social comparison to rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and affect

Basic and Applied Psychology

Original Research
Social comparison processes in social phobia*