The Local Dominance Effect in Self-Evaluation: Evidence and Explanations

Zell, Ethan; Alicke, Mark D.

doi:10.1177/1088868310366144

Cited by 119 publications

(120 citation statements)

References 112 publications

(221 reference statements)

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“…In line with the current findings (cf. Gilbert et al, 1995), this tendency implies that people may de-emphasize more diagnostic information such as objective criteria (Klein, 1997) or comparisons with aggregates and larger samples (Zell & Alicke, 2010). In addition, the role people enact appeared to have an impact on their reliance on social comparison.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Overpowering Effect of Social Comparison Information

Yperen

Leander²

2014

Pers Soc Psychol Bull

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If people's goals and evaluative standards were aligned, then individuals with mastery-based goals should, theoretically, primarily rely on temporal comparison information (i.e., on how they performed relative to before). In contrast, individuals with performance-based goals should rely on social comparison information (i.e., on how they performed relative to others). However, across three studies, we explored a misalignment phenomenon we call "the overpowering effect of social comparison information" (TOESCI). We found that, irrespective of individuals' specific achievement goal (performance-based vs. mastery-based), there is a consistent, dominant reliance on social comparisons over temporal comparisons in their performance self-evaluations. These findings suggest that one's goals and evaluation criteria do not always align-that explicitly endorsing mastery-based goals does not necessarily lead one to rely on temporal comparison information over social comparison information. Only after receiving an explicit reminder to consider their mastery-based goal did participants align their goal and performance self-evaluation criteria.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Overpowering Effect of Social Comparison Information

Yperen

Leander²

2014

Pers Soc Psychol Bull

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“…In both cases, mastery goal individuals make intrapersonal comparisons, in contrast to individuals who pursue performance goals who tend to compare their performances with those of others and thus make interpersonal comparisons (e.g. Zell & Alicke, 2010). Because using intrapersonal comparison standards focuses exclusively on how the self is performing, we use the term "self-referenced goals" to refer to the standard of reference of mastery goals.…”

Section: Disclosure Statementmentioning

confidence: 97%

Mastery-approach and mastery-avoidance goals and their relation with exhaustion and engagement at work: The roles of emotional and instrumental support

2015

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The results of two cross-sectional studies (N = 220 and N = 258) indicate that employees' workrelated mastery-approach goals (i.e. the striving to improve one's performance at work) were positively associated with work engagement. Further, this relationship is explained by high levels of instrumental support. In contrast, employees' work-related mastery-avoidance goals (i.e. the striving to avoid performing worse than one aspires to) are positive predictors of job detachment and fatigue. The relationships between mastery-avoidance goals and these detrimental work outcomes are explained by low levels of perceived emotional support. Altogether, these results suggest that workers with mastery-approach goals tend to invest in their social work environment by establishing instrumental exchange relationships. Such relationships are considered functional for task performance and explain the positive relationship with work engagement. Employees who hold mastery-avoidance goals, on the other hand, tend to withdraw from the social structure of the workplace which explains the negative relationship with emotional support. In turn, given the lack of emotional support, psychological detachment and fatigue may emerge. These results are discussed in relation to the surging interest in the social mechanisms that result from the pursuit of achievement goals.

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“…Evidence suggests employees use social comparisons to make sense of their own standing in the organization (Buunk and Gibbons, 2007;Greenberg et al, 2007;Moore, 2007). The social comparison literature demonstrates that people experience self-enhancement when they make favorable comparisons, and feel worse about themselves when they make negative comparisons (Buckingham and Alicke, 2002;Wood, 1989;Zell and Alicke, 2010). Davis (1966: 17) termed these relative evaluations and their associated outcomes "frog-pond" effects.…”

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confidence: 99%

Social comparisons and organizational support: Implications for commitment and retention

et al. 2016

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Organizational support theory (OST) suggests that employees develop a general perception of the extent to which the organization values their contributions and cares about their well-being (perceived organizational support – POS), and respond to that support through attitudes and behaviors that are beneficial toward the organization. Although OST emphasizes both social exchange and self-enhancement processes, most accounts of POS’s effects are rooted in social exchange. For example, POS’s linkages with commitment and retention have been explained as an exchange of support for positive attitudes and continued employment. This research sheds light on self-enhancement’s less-understood role in fostering these reactions by demonstrating the influence of social comparison effects. Drawing on a sample of 342 employees nested in 82 work-units of a US hospitality company, our analysis demonstrates that favorable POS comparisons with peers in one’s work-unit are positively associated with commitment and retention, whereas unfavorable comparisons are negatively related. Results also show that comparisons taking place in less-supported work-units have stronger impact than comparisons made in those with better support. Our findings extend OST by revealing the importance of social comparisons in engendering responses to organizational support, and in so doing potentially explicate the differential ways social exchange and self-enhancement operate with regard to POS.

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The Local Dominance Effect in Self-Evaluation: Evidence and Explanations

Cited by 119 publications

References 112 publications

The Overpowering Effect of Social Comparison Information

The Overpowering Effect of Social Comparison Information

Mastery-approach and mastery-avoidance goals and their relation with exhaustion and engagement at work: The roles of emotional and instrumental support

Social comparisons and organizational support: Implications for commitment and retention

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