Upward Social Compare And Contrast Examples

Register to read the introduction… Overweight people who are jealous of those more physically active than them will have a low self-esteem because they will want to achieve what normal weight people have achieved. “Perhaps the tendency to compare oneself to others possessing the thin ideal is the main source for the negative effects produced by the exposure to thin ideal media” (Gayle R. Bessenoff). Overweight people who are motivated by those that are more physically active than them will have a high self esteem because they will be encouraged to do better and live a better live like the normal weight people. “However, upward comparisons may also serve to enhance the selves by eliciting behaviors to improve oneself” (Higgins). Both reactions create comparisons with the “superior” as the media calls it and creates a sense of different social levels in the world.

c) Downward social comparison:
Downward social comparison creates positive reactions for overweight people. When overweight people compare themselves with someone who is less physically active than them, they create a high self-esteem because they feel there are other people that find overweight people socially desirable. Also they feel superior and a sense of pride that at least …show more content…
Self enhancement for overweight people happens when you boost your positive appeal to make yourself look better. Overweight people make the effort lose weight and dress up better to be the best in other peoples’ eyes. This happens because “people are motivated to maintain their efforts not by their expectations about future outcomes but by their satisfaction with outcomes afforded by their current behaviors” (Jeffery, Linde, Finch, Rothman, King,). Overweight people use this tool to hide their obesity in front of others and instead show their courage and motivation to the