Social Comparison in the Classroom: Priming Approach/Avoidance Changes the Impact of Social Comparison on Self-Evaluation and Performance

Autor/inn/en	Boissicat, Natacha; Fayant, Marie-Pierre; Nurra, Cécile; Muller, Dominique
Titel	Social Comparison in the Classroom: Priming Approach/Avoidance Changes the Impact of Social Comparison on Self-Evaluation and Performance
Quelle	In: British Journal of Educational Psychology, 92 (2022) 2Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0007-0998
DOI	10.1111/bjep.12466
Schlagwörter	Self Concept; Self Evaluation (Individuals); Student Evaluation; Social Status; Priming; Acculturation + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Selbstkonzept; Schulnote; Studentische Bewertung; Sozialer Status; Akkulturation
Abstract	Background: Social comparisons between pupils are especially relevant at school. Such comparisons influence self-perception and performance. When pupils evaluate themselves more negatively and perform worse after an upward comparison (with a better off pupil) than a downward comparison (with a worse-off pupil), this is a contrast effect. On the other hand, when they evaluate themselves more positively and are better after an upward than downward comparison, this is an assimilation effect. Aims: We examine assimilation and contrast effects of comparison in the classroom on pupils' self-evaluation and performance. Previous work by Fayant, Muller, Nurra, Alexopoulos, and Palluel-Germain (2011) lead us to hypothesize that approach vs. avoidance moderates the impact of upward vs. downward comparison: approach should lead to an assimilation effect on self-evaluation and performance, while avoidance should lead to contrast on self-evaluation and performance. Methods: To test this hypothesis, we primed pupils with either approach or avoidance before reading upward or downward comparison information about another pupil. We then measured self-evaluation (Experiment 1) and performance (Experiments 1 and 2). Results: Results confirmed our predictions and revealed the predicted interaction on self-evaluation (Experiment 1) and performance (Experiment 2): approach leads to an assimilation effect (in both experiments) whereas avoidance leads to a contrast effect (in Experiment 2). Conclusions: These experiments replicate previous studies on self-evaluation and also extend previous work on performance and in a classroom setting. Priming approach before upward comparison seems especially beneficial to pupils. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01