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Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and videos. Users can "follow," "like," and "comment" on the posts of others. Instagram has become a place for users to constantly compare themselves to others and feel compelled to show oneself in a certain manner due to the platform's emphasis on visual content. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether Instagram users experience regret or social pressure based on their gender. The research examines whether Instagram users adhere to social norms and compare themselves to others on the network, drawing on the theories of social conformity and social comparison. Data was collected from 390 Instagram users through an online survey. Results showed that women use Instagram filters and editing tools more frequently than men, but the reasons for this gender gap require further investigation. Contrary to the hypothesis, the association between time spent on Instagram and social conformity pressure was not stronger for women than for men. Instead, Instagram use frequency played a vital role in shaping the relationship between time spent on the platform and social conformity pressure. According to the study's findings a large proportion of Instagram users, regardless of gender, reported having regret after posting. Our results imply that those who spend more time on Instagram may experience more pressure to adhere to the views and actions of others on the site, with regular use perhaps being a driving factor in this pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting social comparison theory (SCT), this study explores how upward social comparisons to equivalent or higher-ranked leaders influences the leadership styles of women Chief Communication Officers (CCOs). An in-depth interview methodology is utilized to learn from 15 women who currently serve or have recently served as a CCO. From these interviews, it was determined these women are using comparisons to other similar executive public relations leaders as informal sources to effectively evaluate, improve, and enhance their leadership. Theoretical and practical implications for women and leadership in public relations are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influencers are pairing motivational captions with sexualized imagery in a recent Instagram trend. The negative impact of thin-ideal social media images paired with fitspiration captions (i.e. fitness-based captions) or disclaimer captions (i.e. warning labels) on women has been established; however, this study explored a new caption: the motivational caption. Unlike their accompanying images that emphasize a sexualized, thin-ideal body, motivational captions do not mention appearance but instead provide (seemingly) uplifting content. Utilizing an experimental survey, 589 emerging adult women were randomly assigned to view sexualized photos paired with one of three caption types: sexualizing, motivational, or neutral. Participants reported mood pre- and post-exposure, appearance comparison, self-objectification, belief that sex is power, and impressions of models. Findings revealed mood worsened in the sexualizing caption condition pre- to post- exposure compared to neutral captions. Women in the motivational caption condition reported more positive impressions of the models than women in the sexualizing caption condition. The discussion explores the potential implications of an influencer's sexualized image/motivational caption's implied message: in order to achieve mental/emotional success, you must also achieve a sexualized physical self. Further, findings shed light on how alternative options for caption framing affect mood and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many people share travel experience on WeChat Moments (WM). At present, most scholars have analysed the phenomenon from the perspective of destination image construction, but few of them investigate the uniqueness of the WM platform and the social factors of WM are rarely discussed. Based on the social comparison theory, this paper regards the sharing of travel experience on WM as an inducing factor of upward social comparison in WM, and explores its influence on travel intention. The role of benign envy and potential tourists' self-presentation in this mechanism are also explored. Through experimental design and survey instruments, it is found that high-quality travel experience sharing on WM may increase potential tourists' travel intention. In addition, high-quality travel experience sharing can induce benign envy, which will increase potential tourists' travel intention as well. When the level of potential tourists' self-presentation is high, the relationship between WM travel experience sharing and benign envy is stronger. The results provide theoretical insights into travel experience sharing. Practically, the potential tourists' benign envy and self-presentation intention can be used to benefit tourism destination marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge exchange is crucial for organizations, but interpersonal dynamics can entail stress, affecting whether and how knowledge flows. Integrating social comparison and stress appraisal research, we propose that upward social comparison can be appraised as challenging or hindering. We suggest a dual pathway model involving an approach pathway via challenge appraisal and an avoidance pathway via hindrance appraisal with consequences on three knowledge exchange behaviours (i.e., knowledge sharing, knowledge seeking and knowledge hiding). Additionally, we examine age differences (vs. no age differences) to the comparison target as a buffer. We conducted two preregistered experimental online studies with employees (NStudy 1 = 206, NStudy 2 = 414), utilizing a 2 (social comparison; upward, lateral) × 3 (target age; younger, same‐age, older) between‐subject design. Participants received bogus task performance feedback (Study 1: cognitive ability test; Study 2: typing ability test). Both studies show that upward social comparison (but not other social comparison directions) fosters knowledge hiding via hindrance appraisal. This effect is weakened by an age difference (vs. no age difference) to the comparison target. However, our results do not support the approach pathway via challenge appraisal. Our research highlights social pitfalls in knowledge exchange and emphasizes the benefits of age differences between colleagues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research attempting to uncover sources of nonshared environmental influences on behavioral development has highlighted the importance of differential parenting. One way in which parenting may be conceived of as a nonshared environment but has yet to be fully examined in the literature, is through sibling social comparisons. The current study addresses this gap by conducting a series of sibling barricade models examining whether adolescents are affected by their parents' behaviors toward their siblings. Analyses of the Add Health data supported findings of prior research indicating that parenting is not consistent across siblings, but rather is individualized. Results of the sibling barricade models revealed that differences in parenting toward one child did not, however, explain differences in antisocial behavior between siblings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ingratiation is an impression management tactic used by those who seek to obtain the favor of others. Previous studies mainly examine the role of ingratiation from the initiator's perspective, ignoring observers' reactions when they are confronted with their peers' ingratiating behaviors. Drawing on social comparison theory, this study employs a third-party framework to explain the pathways between observed ingratiation and ostracism and analyzes data from a time-lagged survey and two scenario-based experiments in the Chinese context. Observed ingratiation triggers third-party employees' ostracism of flatterers by arousing a sense of future status threats. Moreover, when observers' goals are competitive with those of ingratiators, the adverse effects of observed ingratiation are exacerbated, whereas their leader–member exchange social comparison (LMXSC) buffers its unfavorable effects. These findings advance ingratiation studies by extending the research perspective from that of initiator–target dyads to third-party employees and unveiling a vital mediator (future status threats) and two essential opposite moderators (competitive goals and LMXSC) in the internal mechanism underlying the observed ingratiation–ostracism link. Further, although ingratiation may induce benefits for ingratiators, managers must recognize that it can be destructive for third-party employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the factors contributing to body dissatisfaction among young Caucasian men. It focuses on family, peers, and media influences, addressing a gap in the literature that rarely integrates men’s experiences. The research draws on the Tripartite Influence Model and Social Comparison Theory, using thematic analysis to examine semi-structured interviews with eight participants aged 20–21. The research considers participants’ sexual orientation and country of origin when analysing the data. The findings show that family, peers, and the media positively and negatively shape body dissatisfaction among participants. Positive familial support can enhance body image, while negative comments from family members and peers exacerbate dissatisfaction. Social media was found to often reinforce unattainable body standards. The research contributes to the limited literature on men’s body dissatisfaction by expanding the application of the Tripartite Influence Model and Social Comparison Theory to this population. The study underscores the need for greater societal awareness and a more inclusive approach to body image research that considers diverse ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientations. We argue that more attention needs to be paid to men’s body dissatisfaction, as men are often excluded from these discussions. This study provides valuable insights into the dynamics of male body image, offering a foundation for future research and societal discourse on this often-overlooked issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social comparison theory provides valuable insights into how individuals assess themselves by comparing various facets of their lives to others. This theory offers a framework that helps in understanding the motivations behind self‐evaluation and improvement, as well as shaping consumer behaviors. The extensive body of research related to the theory has resulted in numerous publications across various domains, hindering a comprehensive overview of the research field and constraining its progress. Our multi‐disciplinary study addresses the fragmented scholarly landscape through a hierarchical bibliometric analysis, unveiling key authors, themes, and connections, and emphasizing its current state and future potential, particularly in the marketing domain. Our research indicates that interest in social comparison theory has surged, driven by social media's impact on body image and self‐esteem. Our findings also highlight the significance of themes such as body image, envy, social media, motivation, and life satisfaction, revealing the multifaceted expansion of the theory across various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objective Methods Results and Conclusions Learning analytics dashboards are increasingly being used to communicate feedback to learners. However, little is known about learner preferences for dashboard designs and how they differ depending on the self‐regulated learning (SRL) phases the dashboards are presented (i.e., forethought, performance, and self‐reflection phases) and SRL skills. Insight into design preferences for dashboards with different reference frames (i.e., progress, social, internal achievement and external achievement) is important because the effectiveness of feedback can depend upon how a learner perceives it.This study examines workplace learner preferences for four dashboard designs for each SRL phase and how SRL skills relate to these preferences.Seventy participants enrolled in a chemical process apprenticeship program took part in the study. Preferences were determined using a method of adaptive comparative judgement and SRL skills were measured using a questionnaire. Preferences were tested on four dashboard designs informed by social and temporal comparison theory and goal setting theory. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine the relationship between dashboard preferences and SRL.Results show that the progress reference frame is more preferred before and after task performance, and the social reference frame is less preferred before and after task performance. It was found that the higher the SRL skill score the higher the probability a learner preferred the progress reference frame compared to having no preference before task performance. The results are consistent with other findings, which suggest caution when using social comparison in designing dashboards which provide feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into the self-concept of students with an intellectual disability (ID) or social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) educated in special education is relatively scarce. This, whilst many students with ID or students with SEBD still reside in special rather than inclusive school settings. This study aimed to gain insight into the self-concept of students with either ID or SEBD in special education and examined variables that might relate to the self-concept of these students. A total of 171 students educated in special schools filled out the Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC). T-tests utilising bootstrapping and variance analyses were used to analyse the data. The results indicate that girls with ID and boys with SEBD assess their self-concept more negatively than typically developing students. Gender, age and formally assessed classifications of ASD or ADHD yielded different self-concept scores in both groups of students on different dimensions of self-concept. The expected positive illusory bias was not found in this study. The results of the study are discussed in light of the educational setting of the students with ID or students with SEBD. This study demonstrates that interventions are needed to improve the self-concept of students with ID or students with SEBD in special education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voluntary contributions are a crucial resource for nonprofit organizations and challenging to acquire. Social information on other people's contributions has been found to positively influence individual giving behavior. However, a clear understanding how social information reference groups impact volunteering intentions is missing. Drawing on social comparison theory, we conducted a survey experiment with variations in social information reference groups to shed light on mechanisms within social comparison processes in volunteering. Results show that volunteering intention increases when social information refers to reference groups similar to recipients (ingroups) compared with reference groups without similarities (outgroups). This effect is mediated by group identification. In contrast, shifts in volunteering aspiration are anchored by observed performance levels and independent of reference groups. The study contributes to the social information literature and suggests the need to distinguish different forms of social information to understand social comparison processes in volunteering, relevant for researchers and practitioners alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies on the effects of social media on young women's ideal body image and self-perceptions are focused on the exposure to thinness and/or fitness portrayals that emphasize the thin ideal. However, today's digital content exhibits the ideal female body as a hybrid of physical characteristics such as an hourglass figure consisting of full breasts, thin waists, and large buttocks of well-known celebrities (or influencers) on social media and specifically on the social media platform, Instagram. A fusion of attributes from Kim Kardashian, Scarlet Johansson, and other curvy celebrities reflects the "ideal body" that is voluptuous rather than thin all over. Like the ultra thin ideal, this voluptuous ideal body represents a physical figure that is impossible to achieve for most women. Based on sociocultural theory Thompson et al. (1999) and social comparison theory Festinger (1954), the present study surveyed 189 emerging adult women's use of Instagram and employed a three-stage serial mediational model of Instagram use and endorsement of the voluptuous body ideal. Results found intensity of Instagram use to be linked to viewing Instagram as a source of information and pressure, which was then linked to participants making more appearance-related comparisons and greater endorsement of a voluptuous body type as ideal. Our study indicates the thin ideal is not the only harmful and influential pressure on women's body image and supports our argument that the influence of the voluptuous body types should not be overlooked by researchers as well as therapists, counselors, and educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used quantitative text analysis to examine conversations in a series of online support groups attended by care partners of people living with rare dementias (PLWRD). We used transcripts of 14 sessions (>100,000 words) to explore patterns of communication in trained facilitators' (n = 2) and participants' (n = 11) speech and to investigate the impact of session agenda on language use. We investigated the features of their communication via Poisson regression and a clustering algorithm. We also compared their speech with a natural speech corpus. We found that differences to natural speech emerged, notably in emotional tone (d = −3.2, p < 0.001) and cognitive processes (d = 2.8, p < 0.001). We observed further differences between facilitators and participants and between sessions based on agenda. The clustering algorithm categorised participants' contributions into three groups: sharing experience, self-reflection, and group processes. We discuss the findings in the context of Social Comparison Theory. We argue that dedicated online spaces have a positive impact on care partners in combatting isolation and stress via affiliation with peers. We then discuss the linguistic mechanisms by which social support was experienced in the group. The present paper has implications for any services seeking insight into how peer support is designed, delivered, and experienced by participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The freshmen in universities continue to face adjustment issues to new environments. Thus, transition to the university is characterized by expected independent decisions as compared to the previous secondary school teacher controlled learning environment. When the transition challenges are not well managed by the university administration, then it could lead to the emergence of psychopathology, as pre-existing mental health problems are exacerbated or new symptoms emerge in response to novel environmental stressors. The present study examined the relationship between social comparison and overall adjustment among the freshmen in one selected public university in Kenya. The study was informed by Social Comparison Theory (SCT) and Student Integration Theory. This study was anchored in the positivist research paradigm. The study was guided by the cross-sectional survey research design. The sample size comprised 213 freshmen in one public university in Western Kenya. The Social Comparison Scale and Adjustment Questionnaire were used to collect data. The validity results indicated that the Keiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) was 0.753. The Bartlett's Test of Sphericity at 95 % level of confidence was significant (p-value of 0.000<0.05). The finding shows that there was a low negative (r=-0.142, n =213, p<0.05) relationship between social comparison and overall adjustment among the first year university students. The study concludes that the social comparison regression model was adequate to predict overall adjustment among first year university students [F (1, 211)=4.366, p<0.05)]. The study recommends that the university counseling center should develop holistic counseling therapies, which would enhance coping skills, seeking support, and counseling seeking behaviours among first year students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite the dramatic increase in people's use of social media, relatively few studies have examined its effect on careers. Drawing upon social comparison theory and self-regulation theory, this study aims to investigate how career-oriented social media usage interacts with social comparison orientation (SCO) to influence the career exploration of university students. Design/methodology/approach: Three waves of survey data are collected from 482 university students in China. Hypotheses are tested through ordinary least squares analysis. Findings: Results show that career-oriented social media usage increases career anxiety, which in turn promotes career exploration. Furthermore, SCO strengthens such influence of career-oriented social media usage. Originality/value: Given the limited attention paid to the effects of social media in career contexts, this study distinguishes career-oriented social media usage and proposes insights into its effect on career exploration. In doing so, this study extends social media literature and provides implications for the transition of university students from school to work in the digital era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The world is going through a challenging historical moment, with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting billions of lives and communities worldwide. OBJECTIVE: Building on the widespread negative impact of the pandemic on the socio-economic context, and consequently on the labour market, the aim of this study was to analyse the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on workers' perception of decent work. METHODS: The Decent Work Questionnaire was administered to 243 workers from seven Portuguese organisations at two-time points (before and during the pandemic). RESULTS: Results revealed a positive and significant effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on six of seven dimensions of decent work, particularly those related to Meaningful Remuneration for the Exercise of Citizenship and Health and Safety. CONCLUSION: The positive effects of social comparison processes are stronger than the negative effects of the adverse socio-economic context. Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, workers may have compared their work situation with the condition of other workers, activating an increase in their subjective perception of the value of their current reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers a valuable interpretivist approach in understanding how beauty standards and social comparison influence viewing of a fat or thin media image. Participants (N = 135) viewed either an altered or unaltered female media image and then responded to a series of questions. Through inductively analyzing the written discourse, three themes were generated. The first theme highlights how socialization informed participants' viewing and interpreting of the images. The second theme specifies that participants interpreted the images through a lens of preexisting assumptions. The third theme captures the social comparisons that were made while viewing the images. Results are explained in the context of weight stigmatization and health assumptions, body positivity and fat pride, and social comparison theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesBack pain and poor mental health are interrelated issues in older men. Evidence suggests that socioeconomic status moderates this relationship, but less is known about the role of subjective social status (SSS). This study examined if the association between back pain and mental health is moderated by SSS.MethodWe used a sample of community-dwelling older men (≥65 years) from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (N = 5994). Participants self-reported their back pain severity and frequency over the past 12 months. SSS was assessed with the MacArthur Scale of SSS. Mental health was assessed with the SF-12 Mental Component Summary (MCS).ResultsSevere back pain was associated with lower SF-12 MCS scores (p = .03). Back pain frequency was not associated with SF-12 MCS scores. SSS moderated the back pain and mental health relationship. Among men with higher national or community SSS, the association between back pain severity and SF-12 MCS scores was not significant. However, among men with lower national or community SSS, more severe back pain was associated with lower SF-12 MCS scores (p's < .001). Among those with lower national or community SSS, greater back pain frequency was also associated with lower SF-12 MCS scores (p's < .05).ConclusionWhere one ranks oneself within their nation or community matters for the back pain and mental health relationship. Higher SSS may be a psychosocial resource that buffers the negative associations of severe and frequent back pain on mental health in older men.

Leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation, or a leader's differentiated treatments among team members, is a prevalent phenomenon in any type of organization due to constraints of personal, social, and organizational resources. Despite numerous empirical examinations of such phenomenon, the impact of LMX differentiation on group outcomes is inconsistent and inconclusive. Based on team diversity framework, we approach LMX differentiation as disparity and draw on social comparison theory and social exchange theory to examine the positive effect of LMX differentiation on team counterproductive work behavior (CWB) through a supervisory justice climate. In addition, we investigate leader competence as an essential boundary condition that influences the impact of LMX differentiation on supervisory justice climate and subsequent team CWB. Using a sample of 94 teams in South Korea, we found that LMX differentiation negatively impacts supervisory justice climate, subsequently promoting team CWB. Furthermore, when team members perceive their leader as incompetent, the positive impact of LMX differentiation on team CWB is strengthened. Theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Objective: We tested an integrated model of three prominent theories of disordered eating (tripartite influence theory, objectification theory, and social comparison theory) in a sample of older Chinese men and women. Method: Chinese older men (n = 270) and women (n = 160) completed questionnaires assessing the tripartite influence, objectification, and social comparison theories and thinness‐ and muscularity‐oriented disordered eating. Two structural equation models were tested in Chinese older men and women. Results: The integrated model showed good model fit and described meaningful variance in thinness‐ and muscularity‐oriented disordered eating in Chinese older men and women. Higher appearance pressures were uniquely related to higher muscularity‐oriented disordered eating in men. Across both gender groups, higher thinness internalization was uniquely related to higher thinness‐ and muscularity‐oriented disordered eating, and in women only, higher muscularity internalization was uniquely related to lower thinness‐oriented disordered eating. In men, higher upward and downward body image comparisons were uniquely related to higher and lower, respectively, muscularity‐oriented disordered eating. In women, higher upward body image comparisons were only uniquely related to higher muscularity‐oriented disordered eating while higher downward body image comparisons were uniquely related to both outcomes. Higher body shame was uniquely related to higher thinness‐oriented disordered eating across both groups and in men alone, higher body shame was also uniquely related to higher muscularity‐oriented disordered eating. Discussion: Findings, which tested the integration of tripartite influence, objectification, and social comparison theories, inform the prevention and treatment of disordered eating in Chinese older populations. Public Significance: The present study is the first to describe theories of disordered eating (tripartite influence, objectification, and social comparison) in Chinese older adults. Findings suggested good model fit and the integrated models described meaningful variance in thinness‐ and muscularity‐oriented disordered eating in Chinese older women and men. Findings extend existing theories of disordered eating and, pending further study, may inform theory‐driven prevention and treatment approaches in Chinese older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the extant scholarship, researchers have claimed that malicious envy has a significant relationship with workplace deviance. Nevertheless, there remains a dearth of scholarship detailing how employees can display workplace deviance in an organizational context without being caught. This study aims to examine an association between dispositional malicious envy and workplace deviance, mediated by divergent thinking through the lens of social comparison theory. Data was collected via a cross-sectional survey from employees (N = 363) working in Pakistan's banking and telecom sector. The study results reveal that dispositional malicious envy can lead to workplace deviance via the divergent thinking mediation effect. This study adds to the limited scholarship about how dispositional malicious envy relates to workplace deviance in the organizational setting, particularly when employees make lateral comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study participants evaluated the use of robots in general, and specifically the use of humanoid robots for 36 different job positions in accommodation establishments in Turkey. This exploratory study aimed to determine the positions in which it will be easier to adopt the use of robots in accommodation businesses. It also examined the role of the participant's gender and age regarding the potential use of robots. An online survey was used to collect data, and the data was obtained from 407 participants. Contrary to the theory of anthropomorphism, but consistent with the Uncanny Valley and social comparison theories, the results of the study showed that the participants were adamant that it was not appropriate to use robots for 25 of the job positions out of 36. Humanoid robots were considered appropriate for positions that provide cleaning services, perform takeaway and delivery services, or where customers do not interact one-on-one during their stay. It was concluded that young people evaluated the use of robots in the sector more positively than older people. Similarly, women tended to make more positive evaluations than men. The original value of this research is based on the lack of studies evaluating the potential of using robots for positions in accommodation establishments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firms use Relative Performance Information (RPI) to improve employee performance; however, differences in employees' remote work environments call into question whether RPI improves performance in remote work arrangements. By manipulating RPI provision across sections, the authors examine whether RPI improves performance in remote work arrangements using a field experiment in introductory accounting courses taught during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors found that RPI improves performance in a remote work setting, as students receiving RPI achieved higher exam scores and increased their exam scores to a greater extent than students who did not receive RPI. The authors also found that lower performers improved performance more than higher performers in response to RPI, and the effect of RPI was more pronounced in those closest to meaningful thresholds. These results inform practice on the expected benefits of implementing RPI in a remote work setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding students' college enrollment decisions is critical because the admission outcome can affect the school's quality and its reputation. In this paper, we study how students consider their relative academic ability compared to their potential peers. Drawing from social comparison theory, we posit that there are asymmetric effects due to deviation from peers' ability, depending on the deviations' direction. Using a rich data set of college applicants, we find that while the applicants negatively evaluate their deviations below their potential peers, they value positively those above their peers (the 'big fish, little pond' effect). Moreover, students who applied to many universities are more susceptible to these psychological effects. Further analysis points to the level of the individual student's self-confidence as a possible explanation. Finally, we derive suggestions for college administrators to improve the yield of admitted students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differentiated empowering leadership is common in organizations; however, its effect on employee proactive customer service performance remains less understood. Drawing on social comparison theory, this study proposes a multilevel model for how and when differentiated empowering leadership affects employee proactive customer service performance. The study, based on a sample of 228 employees from 77 teams in China, shows a negative relationship between differentiated empowering leadership and employee proactive customer service performance through employee organization-based self-esteem. This indirect relationship is moderated by empowering leadership and employee prosocial motivation. Specifically, the influence of differentiated empowering leadership on employee organization-based self-esteem is more negative when employees receive low empowering leadership, and the relationship between employee organization-based self-esteem and proactive customer service performance is more positive for employees with high prosocial motivation. These findings extend previous knowledge on differentiated empowering leadership and provide practical insights for hotel managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee creativity has become an essential element for the survival and success of contemporary organizations in the fast-changing business environment. The increased importance of team systems in the flood of information has increased the attention given to creativity in social relationships. This study adopts social comparison theory to propose a framework that shows how social comparisons of creative ability between team members influence individual creativity. In particular, this study focuses on the downward social comparison that individuals frequently experience in real team situations. We adopted multi-source field data collected from 130 employees and supervisors working in a manufacturing company in South Korea. The moderated mediation hypotheses were tested using hierarchical linear modeling to address the dependence of employees rated by the same supervisor, given that employees are nested within supervisors. The effect of downward social comparison on creativity, as mediated by negative affect, is positively moderated by narcissism. Specifically, the conditional indirect effects of downward social comparison on creativity through negative affect were significant and negative when narcissism was high but insignificant when it was low. This research provides novel insights for researchers and practitioners by offering a theoretical elaboration of the effects of social comparison processes on creativity and providing unique empirical validation for the model in the context of teams in actual organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Summary: This paper investigates how firms select reference organizations, that is, other firms to which they compare themselves. We question the exogenous nature of references (i.e., them being defined via industry‐categorizations) but suggest that, via motivations or purposes, firms endogenously select them. We evaluate our findings when analyzing proprietary data on hotels' self‐selection of comparison‐hotels. In support of our arguments, we find that in situations of increased uncertainty regarding firms' own relative abilities and standing, firms make adjustments to their selected references toward more similar ones. This enables them to obtain more diagnostic information about their relative abilities and this effect holds constant of (exogenous) industry‐entry or exit events. Our findings contribute to an updated understanding about the role of comparison organizations in firms' decision‐making. Managerial Summary: Prior work shows that comparisons with other firms (i.e., references) play an important role for our understanding of firms' decision‐making. For example, performance comparisons with references can trigger search or a decision‐need, ultimately, leading to acquisition‐decisions, new‐product‐introductions, and the like. When questioning the selection of such references, prior work has typically derived them from (exogenous) industry‐categorizations. We review this practice by relying on rare, longitudinal data on firms' reference self‐selection. When controlling for industry level effects, we find that firms adapt references as a function of changes in their comparison needs (e.g., self‐assessment). This is important because it implies an endogenous reference selection mechanism and shifts the attention from industry‐categorizations toward an understanding of comparison needs and their emergence when attempting to understand firms' decision‐making. Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burgeoning literature on LMX differentiation has demonstrated positive and negative cross-level outcomes depending on specific boundary conditions. Although this research has provided key insights into the LMX phenomenon at multiple levels of analysis, we currently lack a conceptual understanding of when and why LMX differentiation may have positive or negative consequences at work. Opening the black box between LMX differentiation and work behaviors, we draw on social comparison theory to develop a conceptual model of the cross-level implications of LMX differentiation for employee emotions and discretionary behaviors. Since each LMX dyad is nested within the broader workgroup, we incorporate multilevel relationships in our theorizing. Relying on social comparison theory, we theorize that specific instances of resource allocation by leaders function as affective events that trigger social comparison emotions. More specifically, we posit that these affective events trigger an emotion appraisal process that causes relative individual LMX status and justice perceptions to interact as sources of social comparison information, influencing the type of social comparison emotion that emerges, with subsequent effects on interpersonal discretionary behavior. Overall, our social comparison perspective unravels emotional mechanisms that provide one explanation for why LMX differentiation has inconsistent effects on employee work behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important and debatable issues in the field of employees' emotions is the issue of envy in the workplace. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the antecedents and consequences of envy in the workplace based on social comparison theory. To this end, a framework for understanding the antecedents and consequences of envy in the workplace was first developed based on Festinger's social comparison theory. In the next step, we implemented this model in Sapco. In this regard, 158 questionnaires were distributed among the sample members through the Relative stratified sampling method. The results of data analysis showed that narcissism, neuroticism, and competition have a positive and significant effect on envy in the workplace; Self-esteem and perceived control have a significant adverse effect on envy in the workplace. The results also showed that envy in the workplace has a negative and significant effect on organizational citizenship behavior and organizational perceptions; envy in the workplace has a positive and significant effect on turnover intentions, moral dysfunction, and counterproductive work behaviors.IntroductionThe antecedents and consequences of envy in the work environment have been studied from different perspectives (Crusius, 2020; Ganegoda & Bordia, 2019; Puranik et al., 2019), but there are few empirical analyses of envy. There is no consensus about the conceptualization of envy and its antecedents and consequences, and the results of previous studies are often contradictory and scattered (Li et al., 2021). Previous studies focus on antecedents and consequences as subsets of workplace envy and lack a broad conceptual perspective. To address this gap, we use social comparison theory to identify the antecedents and consequences of employees' envy. Because envy is a product of upward social comparison (Smith, 2000), it occurs when people compare themselves upward with others who are better off (Li et al., 2021). Literature Review Social comparison as a basis for envyThe conceptual foundation of the envy model in the work environment is the social comparison theory or, more appropriately, social comparison theories (Gerber et al., 2018). Social comparison means "the process of thinking about (or comparing) information about one or more people who are related to the person" (Smith et al., 2017). Workplace envyEnvy is an unpleasant negative emotion that has received less attention. Envy occurs when a person lacks another superior quality, achievement, or possession and either wants or wishes the other person did not have it. In the management literature, envy is usually considered detrimental to organizational health, as the envious person often engages in counterproductive workplace behaviors, including social attrition, sabotage, abuse, taking pleasure in another's misery, and demeaning the person being envied. (Mohd. Shamsudin et al., 2022). MethodologyThe current research is applied in terms of its purpose Because the research findings can be used to solve the executive issues of Sapco. In terms of the data collection method, it is considered a part of descriptive research and a branch of survey studies. In order to determine the minimum sample size, the test-based method and G-Power version 3.1 software were used (Faul et al., 2009). The number of 158 questionnaires has been distributed among people through the stratified sampling method. ResultsThe results of hypothesis 1 show that the narcissism of Sapco employees has a positive and significant effect on their workplace envy. The results of hypothesis 2 show that the neuroticism of Sapco employees has a positive and significant effect on their workplace envy. The results of hypothesis 3 show that the self-esteem of Sapco employees negatively and significantly affects their workplace envy. The results of hypothesis 4 show that the perceived control of Sapco employees negatively and significantly affects their workplace envy. The results of hypothesis 5 show that the competition factor between Sapco employees positively and significantly affects their workplace envy. The results of hypothesis 6 show that the envy of Sapco employees in the workplace negatively and significantly affects their organizational citizenship behavior. The results of hypothesis 7 show that workplace envy of Sapco employees has a negative and significant effect on their organizational perceptions (identification, job enthusiasm, and satisfaction). The results of hypothesis 8 also show that workplace envy of Sapco employees has a positive and significant effect on their intention to leave their jobs. The results of hypothesis 9 show that workplace envy of Sapco employees has a positive and significant effect on their moral indifference. The results of hypothesis 10 show that workplace envy of Sapco employees has a positive and significant effect on their unproductive work behavior. DiscussionWhat is seen more than ever in organizations is the issues related to mental and psychological pressures and their proper management so that organizations can grow and develop quickly and show off their ability against all these changes and environmental developments. In the workplace, a key factor in determining whether a manager will be in a better position is improving the management of employee emotions. One of the important and debatable issues in the field of employees' emotions is the discussion of workplace envy. The model of workplace envy presented in this research follows the social comparison theory. When employees make upward social comparisons in their work situations, they will experience workplace envy. ConclusionDue to the imbalance in personality traits, narcissistic employees show various deviant behaviors that cause problems for themselves and colleagues. Neurotic employees react to physical and emotional situations and are vulnerable. Self-esteem significantly predicts workplace envy so social comparison may be based on self-evaluations of abilities and opinions. Perceived control refers to people making a positive adjustment in the environmental conditions they were influenced. Perceived control can be a factor that reduces dissatisfaction and incompatibility. Creating a competitive atmosphere for scarce resources and promotions in the organization (for example, if an employee gets an advantage and a promotion will not reach another employee) increases the competition between employees to obtain these scarce resources and ultimately makes employees envy each other—employees who are envious of what other employees have usually refrained from performing organizational citizenship behaviors. Workplace envy leads to more negative emotions and organizational perceptions (i.e., identification, job passion, and satisfaction) and increases the tendency to change jobs. Social desirability can reduce real or symbolic workplace envy, and workplace envy can facilitate moral indifference. Upward social comparison (and the resulting destructive envy) is destructive to the organization's and work group's effectiveness.

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This study explores the factors driving aspirational consumption of the Indianbase of the pyramid (BOP) consumers, using the underpinnings of the social comparison theory and trickle-down effect theory. A qualitative phenomenological approach was adopted for this study. Thematic analysis on 35 in-depth interviews of the BOP consumers of Kharagpur, India, showed that BOP people's tendency to engage in within-group and across-group social comparison, and their need for security, comfort, advancement and wellbeing, as well as astuteness trigger aspirational consumption at the BOP. This study contributes to the BOP market literature by developing a theoretical framework showing the triggers of aspirational consumption at the BOP. This study advances both social comparison theory and trickle-down effect theory. This study also demonstrates the positive side of aspirational consumption, which is an addition to the literature. Additionally, the study provides practical and social implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used quantitative text analysis to examine conversations in a series of online support groups attended by care partners of people living with rare dementias (PLWRD). We used transcripts of 14 sessions (>100,000 words) to explore patterns of communication in trained facilitators’ (n = 2) and participants’ (n = 11) speech and to investigate the impact of session agenda on language use. We investigated the features of their communication via Poisson regression and a clustering algorithm. We also compared their speech with a natural speech corpus. We found that differences to natural speech emerged, notably in emotional tone (d = −3.2, p < 0.001) and cognitive processes (d = 2.8, p < 0.001). We observed further differences between facilitators and participants and between sessions based on agenda. The clustering algorithm categorised participants’ contributions into three groups: sharing experience, self-reflection, and group processes. We discuss the findings in the context of Social Comparison Theory. We argue that dedicated online spaces have a positive impact on care partners in combatting isolation and stress via affiliation with peers. We then discuss the linguistic mechanisms by which social support was experienced in the group. The present paper has implications for any services seeking insight into how peer support is designed, delivered, and experienced by participants.

This study is a methodological replication of the work originally published in Information Systems Research by Krasnova, Widjaja, Buxmann, Wenninger, and Benbasat (2015). The original work studied the effects of envy in the context of Social Network Sites (SNSs) among college-age users. We adapt the constructs and measurement items of the original survey but change the context of the SNS to Instagram instead of Facebook. We also target a sample of college-age students from the United States instead of from Germany. The results of our replication support six of the seven hypotheses from the original paper. Confirming these results reinforce the model proposed by Krasnova et al. (2015). However, our replication did not find a strong mediation effect from envy on an SNS between the intensity of social information consumption on an SNS and users' cognitive well-being. The results suggest that the difference in population, SNS, or time has led to a change in this effect inviting further replications and new studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female athletes and non-athletes alike are affected by a variety of cultural factors and social comparisons that influence how they evaluate their own bodies. For female athletes, the self-evaluative process is distinctly complicated during and after their retirement transition. Grounded in social comparison theory, this study uses a phenomenological approach with semi-structured interviews. The sample consists of 20 post career NCAA female athletes. Questions focused on obtaining a more holistic understanding of their lived experiences, influences on their perceptions of body image, and how they cope and adapt in the post-retirement phase. Data were coded iteratively using thematic analysis. Findings reveal distinct challenges to this population of women from a variety of factors at the individual level (i.e., insecurities, learning through lived experience, performance empowerment, pregnancy and childbirth), institutional/community level (i.e., network outside of athletics, role of coaches, external validation), and socio-cultural level (i.e., marketed body ideals, evolution of marketing, social pressures). The data inform theoretical and practical implications to help proactively assist athletes in healthy transitions, especially in adult life stages. We argue those in positions of power have not only the potential, but also a moral obligation to cultivate supportive structures for athletes during and after their careers. • Former athletic body is the key point of identity. • Coaches approaches impacts long-term mental and physical health. • Perceived expectations can evolve with societal, occupational, and athletic norms. • Physical empowerment increases by learning new skills, and childbirth. • Identity and increased criticality result in perpetual cognitive dissonance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telework became a necessary work arrangement during the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, practical evidence even before the pandemic also suggests that telework can adversely affect teleworkers' colleagues working in the office. Those regular office workers may experience negative emotions such as envy which, in turn, can impact work performance and turnover intention. In order to assess the adverse effects of telework on regular office workers, the study applies social comparison theory and suggests telework disparity as a new theoretical concept. From the perspective of regular office workers, perceived telework disparity is the extent to which they compare their office working situation with their colleagues' teleworking situation and conclude that their teleworking colleagues are slightly better off than themselves. Based on social comparison theory, a model of how perceived disparity associated with telework causes negative emotions and adverse behaviors among regular office workers was developed. The data were collected in one organization with telework arrangements (N = 269). The results show that perceived telework disparity from the perspective of regular office workers increases their feelings of envy toward teleworkers and their job dissatisfaction, which is associated with higher turnover intentions and worse job performance. This study contributes to telework research by revealing a dark side of telework by conceptualizing telework disparity and its negative consequences for employees and organizations. For practice, the paper recommends making telework practices and policies as transparent as possible to realize the maximum benefits of telework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How does inter-generational mobility of education effect the mental health of elder parents? Based on the measurement of relative education level, we divided the trajectories of inter-generational educational mobility into nine categories. Using data from the Chinese Family Panel Studies（CFPS） of 2012, 2014, and 2016, we find that in the context of strong inter-generational relationships in China, inter-generational educational mobility has a significant impact on the mental health of middle-aged and elderly parents. Compared with low education stayers, those who with upward mobility in offspring’s education has stronger sense of superiority and better mental health. Meanwhile, compared with high education stayers, parents with downward mobility in children’s educational attainment has stronger sense of relative deprivation and worse mental health. In younger group, the health effect of long-distance upward mobility of offspring education is weaker, but the effect of long-distance downward mobility is stronger. Further analysis of the mediation mechanism shows that the parents with offspring’s upward educational mobility are more confidence with future life, having higher subjective status identification and better mental health. Therefore, deepening the reform of the education system and market mechanism and enhancing the inter-generational mobility of education are efficient ways to accelerate the high-quality development of education in China and improve the mental health of the middle-aged and elderly people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beautifying augmented reality face filters (AR-FF) have been linked to reduced body satisfaction, particularly in young women. Social comparison theory has been used to explain this negative effect through upward social comparisons against the beautified version of oneself. However, downward comparisons have received little attention, though their investigation could have critical theoretical and practical implications. This proof-of-concept study evaluated whether the type of face filter has an effect on body satisfaction in young female students (N = 76) by comparing uglifying (downwards) and beautifying (upwards) face filters in a between-subjects experiment. Additionally, the moderating roles of self-esteem and self-identification with a filtered depiction were investigated. Exposure to beautifying face filters decreased body satisfaction, while no significant effect was detected for uglifying face filters. Furthermore, the effect of beautifying face filters was moderated by self-esteem but not self-identification, while there were no interactions for uglifying face filters. Possible implications and future research opportunities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]