Upward Persistence and Downward Desistence: Some Reactions to Social-Comparison Deprivation after a Threat

Abstract

Laboratory and field research has shown that people prefer either downward or upward comparison after a threatening experience. Downward comparison is generally used to protect self-esteem immediately after a threat. It can be regarded as a short-term self-protection strategy. Upward comparison is often used to see whether it is possible to improve a situation by finding similarities with more fortunate people. It can be regarded as a long-term self-improvement strategy. It was assumed here that deprivation of downward and upward comparison after a threat would generate different degrees of interest and persistence in making social comparisons. More specifically, we expected social comparison persistence to be greater after upward-comparison deprivation than after downward-comparison deprivation or no deprivation at all, especially with superior others. The results of two studies supported our predictions and are discussed in several theoretical frameworks.