Social Comparison Processes under Stress: Towards an Integration of Classic and Recent Perspectives

Abstract

After outlining the history of social comparison theory as far as it is relevant to stress, this chapter substantiates and expands the model of Taylor and Lobel (1989) by presenting evidence from classic and recent research, particularly survey research conducted by the author and his colleagues in divergent populations under stress. These populations include individuals with marital problems, nurses, and persons diagnosed as unfit to work. Three major issues are discussed: the role of uncertainty as a dimension of stress in fostering social comparison needs, the direction of affiliation and information seeking under stress, and the direction of cognitive evaluation among individuals under stress.