Comparison based satisfaction: contrast and empathy

Abstract

The paper (1) presents a new contrast–empathy model to capture affective reactions following a social comparison, and (2) supports the applicability of the value function to social comparisons. Relationship quality and relevance of the comparison dimension are assumed to influence the interplay between contrast and empathy effects. The application of the value function to the contrast–empathy model leads to the predictions that (a) dissatisfaction looms larger than satisfaction and that (b) pity looms larger than empathetic joy. Three studies test the validity of the contrast empathy model. In all studies participants rated their satisfaction with income comparisons. Study 1 demonstrates the applicability of the value function to social comparisons. Study 2 extends the self‐evaluation model and supports the validity of the contrast–empathy model. Study 3 replicates parts of Study 2 in a between‐subjects design. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Social Comparison and Affect: A Study Among Elderly Women

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Social Comparison and Affect: A Study Among Elderly Women

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Standing in Others' Shoes: Empathy and Positional Behavior

“…Second suggestion for the future research is to use more representative sample of individuals where potential life-cycle changes in personality characteristics are identified. As the psychology literature suggests, people's empathic reflection process may also differ depending on the socio-cultural or genetic proximity to the people in their reference groups (Brandstätter, 2000). In our paper, we assumed that individuals' reference groups are exogenously given and formed by “strangers.” Thus, our final suggestion for future research is to investigate how the characteristics of people in the reference group interfere with the relationship between empathy and positional concerns.…”

“…We used relatively large reference groups R , which consisted of “strangers” in a society or country. The design aims to exclude potential confounding emotions stemming from the socio-cultural and genetic proximity between individuals and the people in their reference groups (see, e.g., Tesser et al, 1988 and Brandstätter, 2000 for discussions on the empathic reflection process in relation to liked and disliked particular others).…”

Relativistic origins of emotional reactions to events happening to others and to ourselves

“…But, this perspective has long been supplanted by an incorporation of situations in which assimilation as well as contrast effects occur (e.g. Brandstätter, 2000; Collins, 1996; McFarland et al , 2001; Mussweiler, 2003; Stapel & Blanton, 2004; Tesser, 1991). With assimilation effects, discrepancies between the self and the comparison other alter self‐evaluation towards the standard created by the comparison other.…”

Social Comparison and Affect: A Study Among Elderly Women

“……”

Standing in Others' Shoes: Empathy and Positional Behavior

“…Second suggestion for the future research is to use more representative sample of individuals where potential life-cycle changes in personality characteristics are identified. As the psychology literature suggests, people's empathic reflection process may also differ depending on the socio-cultural or genetic proximity to the people in their reference groups (Brandstätter, 2000). In our paper, we assumed that individuals' reference groups are exogenously given and formed by “strangers.” Thus, our final suggestion for future research is to investigate how the characteristics of people in the reference group interfere with the relationship between empathy and positional concerns.…”

“…We used relatively large reference groups R , which consisted of “strangers” in a society or country. The design aims to exclude potential confounding emotions stemming from the socio-cultural and genetic proximity between individuals and the people in their reference groups (see, e.g., Tesser et al, 1988 and Brandstätter, 2000 for discussions on the empathic reflection process in relation to liked and disliked particular others).…”

Relativistic origins of emotional reactions to events happening to others and to ourselves

“…But, this perspective has long been supplanted by an incorporation of situations in which assimilation as well as contrast effects occur (e.g. Brandstätter, 2000; Collins, 1996; McFarland et al , 2001; Mussweiler, 2003; Stapel & Blanton, 2004; Tesser, 1991). With assimilation effects, discrepancies between the self and the comparison other alter self‐evaluation towards the standard created by the comparison other.…”

Social Comparison and Affect: A Study Among Elderly Women

“……”

Standing in Others' Shoes: Empathy and Positional Behavior

“…Second suggestion for the future research is to use more representative sample of individuals where potential life-cycle changes in personality characteristics are identified. As the psychology literature suggests, people's empathic reflection process may also differ depending on the socio-cultural or genetic proximity to the people in their reference groups (Brandstätter, 2000). In our paper, we assumed that individuals' reference groups are exogenously given and formed by “strangers.” Thus, our final suggestion for future research is to investigate how the characteristics of people in the reference group interfere with the relationship between empathy and positional concerns.…”

“…We used relatively large reference groups R , which consisted of “strangers” in a society or country. The design aims to exclude potential confounding emotions stemming from the socio-cultural and genetic proximity between individuals and the people in their reference groups (see, e.g., Tesser et al, 1988 and Brandstätter, 2000 for discussions on the empathic reflection process in relation to liked and disliked particular others).…”

Relativistic origins of emotional reactions to events happening to others and to ourselves

“…But, this perspective has long been supplanted by an incorporation of situations in which assimilation as well as contrast effects occur (e.g. Brandstätter, 2000; Collins, 1996; McFarland et al , 2001; Mussweiler, 2003; Stapel & Blanton, 2004; Tesser, 1991). With assimilation effects, discrepancies between the self and the comparison other alter self‐evaluation towards the standard created by the comparison other.…”