The Role of Social Comparison in Academic Development and Subjective Well-Being Among Chinese Adolescents: From Variable- and Person-Centered Perspectives

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to address the role of social comparison in determining individual development by exploring the relationship of four types of social comparison with academic persistence‒procrastination and subjective well-being among Chinese adolescents (n = 530, M_age = 14.59) from both variable- and person-centered perspectives. Results showed that the paths from social comparison to outcome were significant in most cases. Upward contrast (i.e., focusing on differences with superior targets) and downward identification (i.e., focusing on similarities with inferior targets) seemed detrimental, but upward identification (i.e., focusing on similarities with superior targets) and downward contrast (i.e., focusing on differences with inferior targets) seemed beneficial for adolescent development. Moreover, four social comparison profiles (moderate, 52.1%; high, 14.3%; upward contrast, 5.7%; and positive interpretation, 27.9%) emerged. The upward contrast profile was the least adaptive, and the positive interpretation profile (with high upward identification and downward contrast) was the most adaptive. This study provides new insights for understanding the role of social comparison in adolescent development and how to make more constructive use of it.