| Abstract: | An experiment was run to test an assumption, basic to social comparison theory, that evaluational uncertainty regarding some aspect of the self, such as an emotional experience, produces a desire to compare one's self with others. Under threat of a strong shock, 2 levels of uncertainty were induced. Cross-cutting this induction were treatments in which information about others due to undergo the same experience was manipulated. Following Schachter, the desire for comparison information was measured by the strength of S's affiliation tendency. The findings suggest that: (a) uncertainty does produce a desire to compare one's self with others, (b) the individual's uncertainty relative to available comparison persons will determine his comparison tendency, and (c) a discrepancy in position (in this case, emotionality) reduces the desire to compare. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
