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The Influence of Social and Temporal Comparison on Health-Relevant Self-Perceptions

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, Psychology - Experimental.
Comparative thought comprises a relatively large portion of daily thoughts and serves a variety of purposes. Two primary types of comparisons have been explored: social and temporal. Social comparison involves other people, whereas temporal comparison involves the self in the past or future. Both have been found to lead to either positive or negative effects, depending on the direction of the comparison (upward or downward) and the process presumed to be invoked (assimilation or contrast). Few studies, however, have examined social and temporal comparison together, and none have explicitly compared the underlying processes. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the similarities and differences between social and temporal comparison processes and effects in a health-relevant context. In three studies, college student participants engaged in social or temporal comparison in the context of fitness, then evaluated their own fitness. Although there were some inconsistencies and small effects, overall the results suggested that downward social and upward temporal comparison result in more positive self-evaluations than upward social or downward temporal comparison. However, evidence for the underlying processes was not found. Results are discussed in terms of implications for social comparison theory, temporal comparison theory, and low-cost health behavior interventions.
Jason Rose, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Andrew Geers, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Jason Levine, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
John Jasper, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Patricia Case, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
101 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Vogel, E. A. (2017). The Influence of Social and Temporal Comparison on Health-Relevant Self-Perceptions [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1493130303918794

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Vogel, Erin. The Influence of Social and Temporal Comparison on Health-Relevant Self-Perceptions. 2017. University of Toledo, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1493130303918794.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Vogel, Erin. "The Influence of Social and Temporal Comparison on Health-Relevant Self-Perceptions." Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1493130303918794

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)