The DOI matches its Crossref record; 169 of the 171 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Social comparison as a predictor of body dissatisfaction: A meta-analytic review.
Abstract
The relationship between social comparison and body dissatisfaction was examined using meta-analysis. Several demographic and methodological variables were examined as potential moderators. Data from 156 studies (189 effect sizes) showed that social comparison was related to higher levels of body dissatisfaction. The effect for social comparison and body dissatisfaction was stronger for women than men and inversely related to age. This effect was stronger when social comparison was directly measured rather than inferred. No differences emerged for the presence of eating psychopathology, study design, or object of comparison. Results confirm theory and research suggesting that comparing oneself unfavorably to another on the basis of appearance may lead to dissatisfaction with one's own appearance. Moderator variables refine our understanding of the social comparison-body dissatisfaction relationship. These constructs and their relationship should be explored further in future studies.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“This relationship is shaped by the mediating pathways of thin / fit ideal internalisation, appearance comparisons, and self-objectification, which have been supported by additional meta-analyses [3, 84, 85].”
From The social media diet: A scoping review to investigate the association between social media, body image and eating disorders amongst young people (2023) · cites this paper as [85]
In the citing paper
“The relationship between social appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction has been confirmed cross-sectionally (e.g., Myers & Crowther, 2009) and longitudinally (Rodgers, McLean, & Paxton, 2015).”
From The reciprocal and indirect relationships between passive Facebook use, comparison on Facebook, and adolescents' body dissatisfaction (2017) · cites this paper as Myers & Crowther, 2009
Citations
Cites
1 retracted
On models and vases: Body dissatisfaction and proneness to social comparison effects
Trampe, D., Stapel, D. A., & Siero, F. W. (2007) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.92.1.106 · Cited by 111 · cited 1×
“…126 Female 20.6 Student Experimental Measured Images 1.139 Tiggemann & Slater (2004) 84 Female 20.23 Student Experimental Measured Images 1.155 Trampe et al. (2007) Study 1 85 Female 24 Student Experimental Inferred Images 0.929 Study 2 250 Female 21 Student Correlational Measured Unspecified…”
BackgroundInfluentialRetractedStatistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences
Cohen, J. (1990) · Computers Environment and Urban Systems · doi:10.1016/0198-9715(90)90050-4 · Cited by 65,417
Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.).
Lachenbruch, P. A., & Cohen, J. (1989) · Journal of the American Statistical Association · doi:10.2307/2290095 · Cited by 37,421
A theory of social comparison processes
Festinger, L. (1954) · Human Relations · doi:10.1177/001872675400700202 · Cited by 20,926
A basic introduction to fixed-effect and random-effects models for meta-analysis
Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J. P. T., & Rothstein, H. R. (2010) · Research Synthesis Methods · doi:10.1002/jrsm.12 · Cited by 6,793
Objectification Theory: Toward Understanding Women's Lived Experiences and Mental Health Risks
Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T.-A. (1997) · Psychology of Women Quarterly · doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00108.x · Cited by 5,531
Exacting beauty: Theory, assessment, and treatment of body image disturbance.
Thompson, J. K., Heinberg, L. J., Altabe, M., & Tantleff-Dunn, S. (1999) · doi:10.1037/10312-000 · Cited by 3,100
Fixed-and random-effects models in meta-analysis.
Hedges, L. V., & Vevea, J. L. (1998) · Psychological Methods · doi:10.1037/1082-989x.3.4.486 · Cited by 2,977
Risk and maintenance factors for eating pathology: A meta-analytic review.
Stice, E. M. (2002) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.128.5.825 · Cited by 2,710
Body image: a handbook of theory, research, and clinical practice
(2003) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.40-3703 · Cited by 1,834
Flagged first, then by citations
2 of the 171 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 701–729 of 729
Modelling communicative behaviours for different roles of pedagogical agents
Krishna, S. (2021) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/f8e9d4b6z9585z4883z8fa1z2afa484bd27b
Kvintová, J., Novotny, J. S., Vachova, L., Szotkowski, R., Liu, H., & Kopecky, K. (2026) · Social Sciences & Humanities Open · doi:10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.102825
Early Maladaptive Schemas and Muscle Dysmorphic Symptoms in Adolescents
Lin, S., Longobardi, C., & Fabris, M. A. (2026) · Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma · doi:10.1007/s40653-026-00894-3
Physical appearance comparison and neuroticism explain why women have a poorer body image than men
Baruch, O. K. (2026) · European Review of Applied Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.erap.2026.101188
Dianti, N. R., Tillmann, J., Heye, A.-L., Wiesheu, P., Kufeld, N., Maas, M., Klassen, O., Völkel, K., Weckbecker, K., & Münster, E. (2026) · Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1007/s10389-026-02783-3
Sick, K., Harry Prapavessis, A., & Pila, E. (2026) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2026.102124
Liu, Y. (2026) · Sport Education and Society · doi:10.1080/13573322.2026.2685031
Gan, M., Qian, J., Wang, B., Cai, X., Cai, Z., & Niu, W. (2026) · Journal of Career Assessment · doi:10.1177/10690727261459098
An “Eight Perspectives” framework to describe complex psychobehavioral phenomena
Bode, A., & Kowal, M. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1847803
Wang, S., Liu, X., & Liu, X. (2026) · Cyberpsychology Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace · doi:10.5817/cp2026-3-10
Body Image and School Engagement in Early Adolescence: Longitudinal Gender Differences
Aucoin, P., Smith, J., Archambault, I., Salvas, M., Gardam, O., Vitoroulis, I., & Guimond, F. (2026) · The Journal of Early Adolescence · doi:10.1177/02724316261464205
Uram, P., & Balas, R. (2026) · Cognitive Processing · doi:10.1007/s10339-026-01376-y
Childhood bullying and body dissatisfaction in adolescents from marginalised groups
Opitz, M., Trompeter, N., Schmidt, U. H., Micali, N., & Sharpe, H. (2026) · Journal of Eating Disorders · doi:10.1186/s40337-026-01709-4
Ooi, W. L., Simmons, J., & Krug, I. (2026) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2026.102157
Singh, T., Velankar, D. H., Joshi, S., Kamble, M., & Surekha Aishwarya, R. (2026) · International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health · doi:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20262737
Syarif, K., Kholifah, N., Eviviola, R., & Purnama, W. I. (2026) · Indonesian Journal of Multidisciplinary Sciences (IJoMS) · doi:10.59066/ijoms.v5i2.2725
Patel, T. A., & Cougle, J. R. (2026) · Cognitive Therapy and Research · doi:10.1007/s10608-026-10779-2
Chou, W. H. C. (2026) · Young Consumers Insight and Ideas for Responsible Marketers · doi:10.1108/yc-04-2026-3138
Li, L., Yu, H., Su, G., Wang, Q., Chen, F., & Yue, L. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1916755
Patel, T. A., & Cougle, J. R. (2026) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2026.105155
Social comparisons on social media and mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysisPreprint
Hoppen, T. H., Höfer, L., Schlechter, P., Holling, H., Mutz, J., & Nexhmedin Morina, B. (2026) · medRxiv · doi:10.64898/2026.09.15.26363124
Wang, R.-Y., Li, H.-F., Wang, Y.-H., & He, C.-H. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1924236
Social Media Disorder, Mental Health, and Physical Activity
Almarzouki, A. F., Rajkhan, F., Alsulami, K. A., Alnoiqy, A. R., Aljihani, M., Hetta, M., Shawosh, O., Almuqbil, Y., Rezqi, I. A., Banaweer, H., et al. (2026) · Healthcare · doi:10.3390/healthcare14183123
Still a material girl: Exploring the evolution of President Barbie with millennial moms
Hall, A. E., & Furey, L. D. (2026) · Fashion Style & Popular Culture · doi:10.1386/fspc_00408_1
Nakhl, A.-M., Barakat, M. A., Kotaich, J., Elleik, E., Afyouni, A., & Abbas, L. A. (2026) · PLOS mental health. · doi:10.1371/journal.pmen.0000758
Development and Validation of the Appearance Influence and Body Satisfaction Scale (AIBSS)
Kuşci, İ., & Bakır, V. (2026) · Research on Education and Psychology · doi:10.54535/rep.2044186
Martijn, C., Steenhuis, M., Ammernick, A., Balzer, J., Haimüller, J., & Alleva, J. M. (2026) · European Eating Disorders Review · doi:10.1002/erv.70185
Factors Associated with Appearance-based Social Comparison in Brazilian College Women
Martins, R., Gonzaga, I., Bim, M. A., Claumann, G. S., & Pelegrini, A. (2026) · Actualidades en Psicología · doi:10.15517/p.v40i141.61958
Nieuwoudt, J. E. (2014) · Cross Connect (Southern Cross University)
Metadata
- Authors
- Myers, T. A., & Crowther, J. H.
- Affiliations
- Kent State University (US)
- ORCID
- Myers, Taryn A.
- Venue
- Journal of Abnormal Psychology
- Published
- 2009-11
- Volume
- 118
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 683-698
- ISSN
- 0021-843X (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1846
- OpenAlex
- W2008255947
- Cited by
- 730
- References
- 171
- Citations by year
- 2026: 42 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 71 · 2023: 77 · 2022: 49 · 2021: 52 · 2020: 67 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 44 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 43 · 2015: 48 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 26
- FWCI
- 15.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Abnormal Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Keywords
- social comparison, body dissatisfaction, appearance, gender differences, age differences, eating disorder psychopathology, self-assessment, body image
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Body Image, Child, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Personal Satisfaction, Personality Inventory, Social Conformity, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
