The Pyramid Power

Comparative Ratings (health Psychology Research)


By: Karen Dyak



Examining the impact of downward comparisons, many studies have assessed social comparisons by asking individuals to rate their situation in comparison to that of others. Tennen and Affleck refer to such measures as comparison conclusions, Wood and VanderZee use the term comparative ratings, whereas Buunk used the term relative evaluations. Diener and Fujita and Wood and VanderZee argue that such comparative ratings may not reflect the outcome ...