The role of perceived parent social comparisons in adolescent academic social comparison, self-efficacy, and self-handicapping: A person-centered approach

Comparing upward: How parental social comparisons shape children's self-concept and mastery motivation in China

The prevalence of Chinese parents using upward social comparisons to influence their children's behavior is well-documented. However, the lack of reliable tools for measuring parental social comparisons, combined with a limited understanding of their association with preschoolers' mastery motivation, highlights a significant gap in research. To bridge this gap, we undertook a comprehensive investigation. Study 1 involved the development of the Parental Social Comparison Scale. Study 2 and Study 3 explored the association between parental social comparisons and children's mastery motivation, considering perspectives from parents (N = 194; Mage = 33.72 years, SD = 4.97) and children (N = 102; Mage = 5.14 years, SD = 3.78). We found that parental social comparisons were positively associated with children's mastery motivation according to parents' perceptions but were negatively associated with mastery motivation through children's self-concept from children's perspectives.

Impact of social comparison on perceived online academic futility: A perspective from parents

In response to the wide-ranging concern of online academic futility, the current study aimed to explore the independent variables and mediating variable from a novel perspective of parents during COVID-19. Based on the social comparison theory and the control-value theory of achievement emotions, social comparison and tutoring anxiety were incorporated into an integrated model as predictors and mediator, respectively. A total of 300 parents completed an online survey. The results of the structural equation modeling indicated that upward social comparison and downward social comparison were both positively related to tutoring anxiety, which in turn positively predicted perceived online academic futility. Notably, tutoring anxiety played a significant mediating role in the association between different social comparison and perceived online academic futility. These results highlight the consistent predictive effect of upward social comparison and downward social comparison on perceived online academic futility, shedding light on the roles of tutoring anxiety in explaining the relationship from parental perspectives.

The Effect of Observational Learning on Self-Efficacy by Sport Competition Condition, Performance Level of Team Members, and Whether You Win or Lose

This study examined the effect of athletes' competition conditions, personal performance level, and attributions toward winning or losing on the relationship between observational learning (OL) and self-efficacy (SE) based on social cognitive theory and social comparison theory. Study 1 verified the validity and reliability of the Korean versions of the Functions of Observational Learning Questionnaire (FOLQ) and the SE Questionnaire. Study 2 investigated differences in the degree to which OL predicts SE in different pressure conditions and personal performance levels. The results showed that OL increased SE in high-performing athletes in high-pressure games and better predicted SE in low-performing athletes in low-pressure games. Study 3 tested the double-mediating effects of effect and OL on the effect of attributions about winning or losing on SE. The results showed that a stronger perception that the cause of winning was internal was associated with increased pride, OL, and SE.