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Cited by 500Impact of Technology on AdolescentsPsychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionInnovative Human-Technology Interaction

Social comparison on social networking sites

Open access
Verduyn, Philippe, Gugushvili, Nino, Massar, Karlijn, Täht, Karin, Kross, Ethan·2020·Current Opinion in Psychology
DOI 10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.04.002
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Abstract

Because of the rise of social networking sites (SNSs), social comparisons take place at an unprecedented rate and scale. There is a growing concern that these online social comparisons negatively impact people's subjective well-being (SWB). In this paper, we review research on (a) the antecedents of social comparisons on SNSs, (b) the consequences of social comparisons on SNSs for SWB and, (c) social comparison as a mechanism explaining (mediator) or affecting (moderator) the relationship between SNSs and SWB. The occurrence of social comparisons on SNSs depends on who uses the SNS and on how the SNS is being used with passive use in particular resulting in increased levels of social comparison. Moreover, social comparison on SNSs may occasionally result in an increase in SWB but typically negative effects are found as people tend to engage in contrasting upward social comparisons. Finally, several studies show that social comparison is a key mechanism explaining the relationship between use of SNSs and SWB and that users with a tendency to engage in social comparison are especially likely to be negatively impacted by SNSs. The dynamic, cyclical processes that result from this pattern of findings are discussed.

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  • The relationship between SNS use and wellbeing is context-dependent, with effects sometimes beneficial and sometimes detrimental, and may vary based on user motivations, content type, and platform engagement styles.

    “Recent work suggests that the relationship between SNSs use and wellbeing is highly context-dependent and may vary based on user motivations, content type, and platform engagement styles”

    From The associations between social comparison on social media and young adults’ mental health (2025) · cites this paper as Verduyn et al., 2020

  • Information shared on social networking sites gives rise to upward social comparisons, which can have negative effects on well-being and mental health.

    “the information that is shared on social networking sites gives rise to upward social comparisons, which can have negative effects on well-being and mental health (Verduyn et al., 2020; for meta-analyses, see Yang et al., 2019;Yoon et al., 2019).”

    From Understanding Autobiographical Memory in the Digital Age: The AMEDIA-Model (2024) · cites this paper as Verduyn et al., 2020

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Authors
Verduyn, P., Gugushvili, N., Massar, K., Täht, K., & Kross, E.
Affiliations
  • Maastricht University (NL)
  • University of Tartu (EE)
  • University of Michigan (US)
Corresponding author
Verduyn, Philippe
ORCID
Venue
Current Opinion in Psychology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-12
Volume
36
Pages
32-37
ISSN
2352-250X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.04.002
OpenAlex
W3022958855
Cited by
500
References
63
Citations by year
2026: 96 · 2025: 107 · 2024: 115 · 2023: 82 · 2022: 56 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 5 · 2018: 1
FWCI
7.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Current Opinion in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
Keywords
social comparison, social networking sites, subjective well-being, upward social comparison, passive social media use
MeSH terms
Social Comparison, Humans, Social Networking

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