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Motivated use of information about others: Linking the 2 × 2 achievement goal model to social comparison propensities and processes
Author(s) -
Bounoua Lënda,
Cury François,
Regner Isabelle,
Huguet Pascal,
Barron Kenneth E.,
Elliot Andrew J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8309.2011.02027.x
Subject(s) - psychology , goal orientation , social psychology , goal pursuit , disposition , social comparison theory , goal theory , goal setting , developmental psychology
The present research used correlational and experimental methods and two well‐established social comparison paradigms to integrate and extend prior research from the achievement goal and social comparison literatures. In Study 1, a general disposition to engage in social comparison was positively correlated with each type of goal in the 2 × 2 model of achievement goals, suggesting that the desire to seek out social comparison information is not exclusive to a particular type of achievement goal pursuit. In Study 2, when evaluating the specific direction of social comparison (upward or downward), the pursuit of performance‐approach, mastery‐approach, and mastery‐avoidance goals facilitated upward social comparison, and the pursuit of performance‐avoidance goals prompted a shift away from upward comparison towards downward comparison. The present findings provide new insight to the emerging integration of achievement goals and social comparison.