Exploring the association of social comparison with depression and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Research has highlighted the role of social comparison processes in varying affect and psychological wellbeing. These processes can provide greater insight into cognitions and behaviours related to depression and anxiety disorders. This review aimed to examine the relationship of social comparison with depression and anxiety in clinically relevant samples, using a process-based approach. Studies of clinical and subclinical populations that utilized observational or experimental social comparison assessment were considered for review. A systematic literature search in Medline and PsycInfo databases produced 54 relevant studies (49 studies on adults and five on child and adolescent populations), 14 of which were suitable for a meta-analysis. A meta-analysis of the association of social comparison evaluation with depression and anxiety in clinical populations revealed weighted correlations of -0.53 and - 0.39, respectively. No subclinical studies were included in a meta-analysis due to a lack of comparable outcomes. Evidence suggests differences between depression and anxiety disorders in information seeking, where frequency and diversity of social comparisons vary; however, studies comparing disorders are lacking. Heterogeneity of experimental studies precluded inclusion in a meta-analysis. A narrative review of experimental data indicated depression and anxiety status is related to reactions to upward comparisons in the domains of affect and behaviour, where individual differences in evaluation can determine affective reactions and how comparison information is further sought. This review suggests social comparison has a significant association with depression and anxiety. However, the limited number of studies with clinical populations necessitates further research on social comparison processes in clinical samples.

On the Costs and Benefits of Ignorance: How Performance Satisfaction is Affected by Knowing the Standard Prior to Performance

Subjects in two experiments performed a novel task. They were given a performance standard either before or after performance. Half the subjects were given performance feedback indicating that performance exceeded the standard (i.e., success); the other half were given performance feedback indicating that performance was below the standard (i.e., failure). The findings indicate that the timing of the presentation of the standard influences the affective reaction to performance. Subjects who received the standard after performance were more satisfied (in the success condition) or more dissatisfied (in the failure condition) than those who received the standard prior to performance. Experiment 2 also included variations in the timing of the presentation of the standard and in the feedback following performance. No systematic differences were found between these conditions. Implications of these findings of models of performance evaluation are discussed.

Self-Protection and Self-Enhancement Biases in Estimates of Population Prevalence

Population prevalence estimates of others' successes and failures at a task were used to assess self-serving biases in response to one's own success and failure. The strength of self-protective motives in reaction to failure feedback and self-enhancing motives in reaction to success feedback was assessed. Large biases based on self-protection motives were observed, in that failure subjects made higher estimates of others' failure and lower estimates of others' success than no-feedback control subjects. Biases based on self-enhancement were observed only for non-depressed subjects. In addition, nondepressed failure subjects showed generalized effects of the self-protection motive, as they evidenced larger false consensus biases than control subjects for task-unrelated attributes and beliefs. Finally, all motivational effects were considerably stronger for nondepressed than for depressed subjects. Implications for processes underlying biases in population prevalence estimates are discussed.

Am I the Typical Student? Perceived Similarity to Student Prototypes Predicts Success

Two studies assessed the relationships between perceived similarity to the college student prototype and academic outcomes. In Study 1, students' similarity to the prototypical good student and their levels of depressed mood were assessed. A year later, students high in depressed mood who did not see themselves as similar to the good student prototype did worse academically. In Study 2, students' perceived favorability and similarity to the prototypical student at their university were assessed along with their levels of neuroticism. Enrollment at their university was then tracked for 5 semesters. Students high in neuroticism who perceived the typical student as both favorable and dissimilar to themselves were less likely to stay enrolled. These findings highlight the importance of perceived dissimilarity in prototype perception, particularly among those high in negative affect.

The latent structure of analogue depression: should the Beck Depression Inventory be used to classify groups?

Research on depression is often conducted with analogue samples that have been divided into depressed and nondepressed groups using a cutoff score on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Although the relative merits of different cut scores are frequently debated, no study has yet determined whether the use of any cut score is valid, that is, whether the latent structure of BDI depression is categorical or dimensional in analogue samples. The BDI responses of 2,260 college students were submitted to 3 taxometric procedures whose results were compared with those of simulated data sets with equivalent parameters. Analyses provided converging evidence for the dimensionality of analogue depression, arguing against the use of the BDI to classify analogue participants into groups. Analyses also illustrated the notable impact of pronounced skew on taxometric results and the value of using simulated comparison data as an interpretive aid.