Examining the impact of downward comparisons, many studies have assessed social comparisons by asking individuals to rate their situation in comparison to that of others. Tennen and Affleck refer to such measures as comparison conclusions, Wood and VanderZee use the term comparative ratings, whereas Buunk used the term relative evaluations. Diener and Fujita and Wood and VanderZee argue that such comparative ratings may not reflect the outcome of a comparison process at all, but — more so than other measuressomething else, such as a positive mood. Although the meaning of comparative ratings may not be completely unambiguous, the evidence for positive associations between well-being and a feeling of being better off than most others is rather strong. To give just a few examples, Heidrich and Ryff, Buunk, and VanderZee, Buunk, and Sanderman all found that psychological well-being is affected directly by the perception of being better off than similar others, independent of physical health. Even more convincing, Affleck, Tennen, Pfeiffer, Fifield, and Rowe showed that persons with rheumatoid arthritis who thought their illness was less severe than that of other victims were rated by health care providers as more positively adjusted, even when data analysis controlled for the effects of disease activity, duration, and functional status of the patients. More generally, Tennen and Affleck point out that the conclusion that others are worse off is typically associated with positive adjustment. In a similar vein, Ahrens and Alloy discuss the relation between depression and social comparison, and show that nondepressed people, in general, tend to see themselves as superior to others, whereas the self-perception of depressed individuals is more likely to include perceptions of inferiority. The influence of comparative evaluations on subjective well-being is discussed in detail in chapter 11 by Diener and Fujita.
We would suggest, that simply believing that there are others who are worse off is likely to benefit almost anyone who is experiencing problems. What this suggests is that a belief that one is relatively well off, which comes about through downward comparison, is an important step along the way to satisfactory adjustment. Although we cannot make a definitive statement at this point in time (and, indeed, the topic continues to generate a considerable amount of controversy and investigation), the research presented in this volume does shed considerable light on the issue of when downward comparisons will have favorable effects. In a nutshell, this research suggests that individuals are likely to receive some emotional benefit from such comparisons when they engage in some form of counterfactual thinking vis à vis the target, that is, when they believe there was, or is, some possibility that their own situation could have resembled that of the target but in fact will, or does, not. One implication of this is that individuals who believe their own situation will decline (such as those who are terminally ill or those who are depressed) are not likely to benefit from comparison with others who are more ill.
Tags: comparative evaluations, comparative ratings, depressed individuals, downward comparisons, health care providers, health psychology research, rheumatoid arthritis, self perception, social comparison, subjective well being