Meeting Goals and Confronting Conflict: Children's Changing Perceptions of Social Comparison

• Published in: Child development 1995-06, Vol.66 (3), p.723-738
• Main Authors: Pomerantz, Eva M., Ruble, Diane N., Frey, Karin S., Greulich, Faith
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Differences; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Cheating; Child; Child Behavior; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Children; Classroom observations; Cohort Studies; Conflict (Psychology); Cross-Sectional Studies; Developmental psychology; Educational Systems; Elementary Education; Elementary School Students; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Goals; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Kindergarten education; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Observational research; Peer Group; Peer Relationship; Perceptions; Psychology, Child; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Self Evaluation (Individuals); Social behavior; Social Comparison; Social Conflict; Social Development; Social Goals; Social perception; Sons; Student Attitudes; Student Behavior; Trend analysis; Verbal Behavior
• ISSN: 0009-3920; 1467-8624
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1995.tb00901.x

It was proposed that previously observed grade-related changes in children's social comparison behavior could be explained by the changing goals and meanings children assign to this behavior. Specifically, it was suggested that, as children progress through the school system, they become increasingly aware of the negative and positive aspects of social comparison and adjust their behavior in response to this awareness, as well as to increasingly salient self-evaluation goals. To examine these propositions, 106 elementary school children were observed in their classrooms and interviewed once a year for 3 years. Consistent with previous research, overt forms of social comparison were most frequent among younger children, whereas subtle forms of social comparison were most frequent among older children. Furthermore, with increasing grade children were likely to view overt forms of social comparison negatively and subtle forms as useful in meeting self-evaluation goals. Additional analyses revealed little association between perceptions of social comparison and actual social comparison behavior, except that perceiving subtle social comparison as useful for self-evaluative goals predicted engagement in such behavior 2 years later.