Social Comparison Theory
What is Social Comparison Theory?
Social comparison theory is the idea that individuals tend to evaluate themselves by comparing their traits, abilities, and opinions to those of others. These comparisons influence motivation and behavior, especially when objective standards are missing.
The Basic Idea
Imagine logging into social media after having a great day—only to see a friend announce a big promotion, an old classmate post photos from a luxury vacation, and a well-dressed coworker out to dinner with your boss. Suddenly, your day feels a little less satisfying.
We rarely evaluate ourselves in a vacuum. Instead, we look to the people around us to figure out if we’re on the right track. Social comparison theory helps explain this tendency, suggesting that when clear benchmarks are missing, we use others as a frame of reference.1
According to this theory, social comparisons generally fall into two categories:
- Upward Comparisons: We evaluate ourselves against someone we perceive as better off, more successful, or more skilled.
- Downward Comparison: We compare ourselves to someone we see as worse off, less skilled, or facing greater challenges.
Upward comparisons can motivate growth and goal-setting, but may also trigger envy or self-doubt, especially if the gap feels unreachable. Meanwhile, downward comparisons can boost self-esteem and offer reassurance in uncertain situations, but may also lead to complacency, judgment, or a distorted sense of superiority. While there’s no prescribed formula, research generally suggests a balance of the two directions might be the way to go.2
When evaluating ourselves, we tend to compare ourselves with people who are similar to us in meaningful ways, like background, goals, or abilities. These “similar others” form our reference group, making comparisons more psychologically relevant and impactful. For example, a college student is more likely to compare themselves to classmates than to a Nobel Prize-winning researcher. The relevance of the reference group shapes whether a comparison feels motivating as we look toward where we want to be, or discouraging as we consider how far we’ve come.
Social comparison shapes how people think, feel, and act across many areas of life—including work, relationships, money, health, and social media. The theory is also widely used in disciplines like psychology, education, marketing, and organizational science.
There exists, in the human organism, a drive to evaluate his opinions and abilities.
— Leon Festinger, social psychologist, “A Theory of Social Comparison Processes” (1954)
About the Author
Joy VerPlanck
Dr. VerPlanck brings over two decades of experience helping teams learn and lead in high-stakes environments. With a background in instructional design and behavioral science, she develops practical solutions at the intersection of people and technology. Joy holds a Doctorate in Educational Technology and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, and often writes about cognitive load and creativity as levers to enhance performance.
