Comparisons inform me who I am: A general comparative processing model of self-perception

Abstract

Our self-concept contributes to our sense of identity over time. Yet, self-perception is motivated and serves survival and thus does not reflect stable inner states or accurate biographical accounts. Literature indicates that different types of comparison standards act as reference frames in evaluating attributes that constitute the self. However, the role of comparisons in self-perception has been underestimated, arguably due to lack of a guiding framework that takes into account relevant aspects of comparison processes and their interdependence. I propose a general comparative model of self-perception that consists of a basic comparison process involving the individual's prior mental representation of the target dimension, the construal of the comparison standard, and the comparison outcome representing the posterior representation of the target dimension. The generated dimensional construal is then appraised with respect to one's motives and controllability and goes on to shape emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses. Contextual and personal factors influence the comparison process. This model may be informative in better understanding comparison processes in our everyday life as well as in designing interventions to assist people overcome undesirable consequences of comparative behavior. [182 words]

How am I doing compared to different standards? Comparative thinking and well-being following exposure to a vehicle-ramming attack

“…Accordingly, the CSS-W assessed comparison as thinking about how one is doing in comparison to some type of upward, lateral, or downward standard. The current results are further relevant because they relate to five types of comparison standards likely to inform self-perception (Morina, in press ). This aspect is crucial because the findings indicate that all five types of comparison are significantly related to PTSD.…”

“…However, surprisingly little is known about the role of comparative thinking in psychological adjustment following aversive experiences (Hoppen, Heinz-Fischer, & Morina, 2020 ). In general, comparative thinking can emerge either spontaneously or be instigated intentionally and serves key self-motives, including self-assessment, self-improvement, self-enhancement, and self-verification (Festinger, 1954 ; Morina, in press ; Sedikides & Strube, 1997 ; Wood, 1996 ).…”

“…In relation to self-perception, comparative thinking is defined as thinking about different comparison standards that represent the benchmark against which the evaluator compares a characteristic of oneself (Morina, in press ). Literature has identified several types of comparison that influence self-perception: social, temporal, criteria-based, dimensional, and counterfactual comparisons (Morina, in press ). Social comparison is the most prominent type and relates to thinking about the social information in relation to the self (Gerber, Wheeler, & Suls, 2018 ; Wood, 1996 ).…”

“…Hoppen et al included in their meta-analysis 24 studies on the association between counterfactual thinking and PTSD symptoms and reported a strong pooled correlation between the two ( r = .46). It is worth noting, however, that research on counterfactual thinking does not necessarily include a comparison to current well-being (Hoppen et al, 2020 ; Morina, in press ). In fact, research on counterfactuals includes both episodic and semantic counterfactual thinking, with the former relating to alternatives to autobiographical events and the latter involving alternatives to general world knowledge (Roese & Epstude, 2017 ).…”

“…psychological or physical well-being or appearance) are different in the current situation than in a counterfactual world. From this it follows that counterfactual comparisons are a specific instance of counterfactual thinking and to measure them, we need not only to assess whether counterfactual thinking has occurred, but also whether a comparison of the current attributes relative to those in the counterfactual world has occurred (Morina, in press ).…”