The current study examines the construct of relationship social comparison orientation, which deals with an individual's propensity to compare his or her romantic relationship to that of others' romantic relationships on various dimensions, in both dating and married samples. The study also examines the role of relationship uncertainty and self uncertainty as an inducement or precondition to relationship comparison tendencies in both groups. 204 married individuals were recruited through The University of Iowa employee pool and 270 dating individuals were recruited to participate using the Elementary Psychology research pool. Dating and married individuals completed questionnaires related to relationship social comparison orientation, general social comparison orientation, and personality traits. A subset of married individuals' spouses also completed questionnaires to report as informants on their partners' relationship comparison tendencies, general social comparison orientation and personality. Findings show that married individuals report higher levels of relationship and self certainty and satisfaction than dating individuals. Factor analyses of the Relationship Social Comparison Measure (RSCM; Smith LeBeau & Buckingham, 2008) and relationship comparison tendencies items produced an interpretable and replicable three factor structure, in both samples, of: 1) general relational comparisons, 2) relational comparisons with positive affect and 3) relational comparisons with negative affect. Dating individuals reported more frequent engagement in general relational comparisons and relational comparisons with negative affect. General relational comparisons and negative affect relational comparisons factor scales were significantly, negatively associated with satisfaction in both dating and married samples; in contrast, however, general social comparison orientation was unrelated to satisfaction. Findings, additionally, show significant convergence on self-reported and spouse ratings of personality, in the married sample, for Big 5 traits as well as for relational comparison tendencies and general social comparison orientation. Positive affect relational comparisons were found to have a small positive association with satisfaction, suggesting that some comparison processes are not maladaptive and may serve to bolster relationship functioning.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka sambanden samt eventuella könsskillnader mellan Social Jämförelse, Självkänsla och användande av Sociala  Medier hos gymnasieelever . Enkäter delades ut till 127  elever på en skola i södra Sverige. Eleverna ombads besvara frågor om användningen av Sociala Medier samt uppskatta deras Självkänsla som bygger på Rosenberg self-esteem scale och deras upplevda grad av Social Jämförelse som baserades på en förkortad version (Schneider & Schupp, 2013) av the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (Buunk & Gibbons, 1999). Resultatet visade signifikanta samband samt könsskillnader mellan användning av Sociala Medier, Social Jämförelse och Självkänsla. Det visade sig att elever som spenderade mer tid på Sociala Medier och hade högre grad av Social Jämförelse tenderade att ha lägre Självkänsla. Kvinnor tenderade även spendera mer tid på Sociala Medier, ha högre grad av Social Jämförelse och lägre grad av Självkänsla än männen. I linje med Findahl och Davidsson (2015) studie fanns det tendenser till att Sociala Medier ökat men att aktiviteten minskar. I vår studie tenderade eleverna att lägga ut uppdateringar när positiva händelser hade skett eller bilder på Selfies och vänner samt bilder som redigerats. Detta skulle kunna bidra till en allvarligt skev bild av verkligheten som kan leda till negativa effekter (som lägre självskänsla). Mot bakgrund av resultaten bör fördjupade undersökningar kring Sociala Mediers och Social Jämförelses inverkan på vårt välmående utredas. / The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between Social Media use, Self-esteem and Social Comparison. Questionnaires were distributed to 127 pupils at a school in southern Sweden. Students were asked to answer questions about the use of social media and assess their self-esteem based on Rosenberg self-esteem scale and their perceived level of social comparison that was based on a shortened version (Schneider & Schupp, 2013) of the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (Buunk & Gibbons, 1999 ). The results showed significant relationships, and also gender differences in the use of social media, social comparison and self-esteem. The study showed that students who spent more time on social media and had greater social comparison tended to have lower self-esteem. Women also tended to spend more time on social media, have greater social comparison and lower levels of self-esteem than men. The study confirmed Findahl och Davidsson (2015), showing that social media is increasing, but that the activity decreases. Students tended to only post positive events or images on Selfies and friends as well as images edited. This could contribute to a serious distortion that can lead to negative effects (such as lower self-esteem). Given the results, we propose that future studies focus on in-depth research about social media impact on our wellbeing and how modern social comparison works.

Social comparison influences well-being, especially during psychological threat. Social comparison outcomes have been theorized to depend on motivation, frequency, contrast versus identification, with a better- versus worse-off other. To reduce this complexity in the theory, 94 senior-housing residents were interviewed and cluster analysis was conducted. Four clusters emerged. Half the interviewees formed a cluster using only adaptive social comparison methods. Adaptives were contrasted with a cluster of indiscriminate comparers, a cluster striving for improvement, and a cluster of participants disagreeing with most questions. Clusters differed especially in patterns of downward identification, upward and downward contrast. Self-evaluation and uncertainty-reduction also differed between clusters; self-enhancement and self-improvement motivations did not. Cluster membership had no direct effect on well-being, but moderation analysis demonstrated threat-buffering of high neuroticism in the adaptive cluster. The benefits were not due to self-esteem or educational level. By separating individuals rather than behaviors, cluster analysis provides a fresh perspective.

Social comparison influences well-being, especially during psychological threat. Social comparison outcomes have been theorized to depend on motivation, frequency, contrast versus identification, with a better- versus worse-off other. To reduce this complexity in the theory, 94 senior-housing residents were interviewed and cluster analysis was conducted. Four clusters emerged. Half the interviewees formed a cluster using only adaptive social comparison methods. Adaptives were contrasted with a cluster of indiscriminate comparers, a cluster striving for improvement, and a cluster of participants disagreeing with most questions. Clusters differed especially in patterns of downward identification, upward and downward contrast. Self-evaluation and uncertainty-reduction also differed between clusters; self-enhancement and self-improvement motivations did not. Cluster membership had no direct effect on well-being, but moderation analysis demonstrated threat-buffering of high neuroticism in the adaptive cluster. The benefits were not due to self-esteem or educational level. By separating individuals rather than behaviors, cluster analysis provides a fresh perspective.