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When better-than-others compare upward: Choice of comparison and comparative evaluation as independent predictors of academic performance.
Abstract
Social comparison theory has linked improved performance to both the tendency to compare with others who are performing well and the tendency to view the self as better than others. However, little research has investigated the effects of either variable outside of a controlled laboratory environment, Moreover, there is reason to believe that the 2 tendencies would be in opposition to one another, because people who compare upward might subsequently view themselves as relatively less competent. The results of a longitudinal study of 876 students in their Ist year of secondary education indicated that both variables independently predicted improved academic performance and that these 2 tendencies did not conflict.
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“studies of adolescents find that affiliation with peers who are highly academically competent may, on the one hand, produce benefits for academic effort by motivating improvements in academic standards and performance, or by providing models for how to complete challenging academic tasks, serving as a form of”
From Peer Influences on Academic Motivation: Exploring Multiple Methods of Assessing Youths’ Most “Influential” Peer Relationships (2011) · cites this paper as Blanton, Buunk, Gibbons, & Kuyper, 1999
In the citing paper
“Past research on social comparison has typically either focused on comparisons to friends (e.g., Altermatt & Pomerantz, 2003;Guay et al., 1999) or comparisons to classmates in general (e.g., Blanton et al., 1999;Marsh, Kong, & Hau, 2000).”
From Peer Influences on Academic Motivation: Exploring Multiple Methods of Assessing Youths’ Most “Influential” Peer Relationships (2011) · cites this paper as Blanton et al., 1999
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Metadata
- Authors
- Blanton, H., Buunk, B. P., Gibbons, F. X., & Kuyper, H.
- Affiliations
- University at Albany, State University of New York (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Published
- 1999-03
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 420-430
- ISSN
- 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1315
- OpenAlex
- W1966856360
- Cited by
- 346
- References
- 51
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 8.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Outcomes and Influences
- Keywords
- upward social comparison, social comparison theory, self-enhancement, academic performance, comparative analysis, self-concept, high school students, first-year students, longitudinal prediction
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