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Upward social comparison and self‐concept: Inspiration and inferiority among art students in an advanced programme
Author(s) -
Burleson Kathryn,
Leach Colin Wayne,
Harrington David M.
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1348/014466604x23509
Subject(s) - social comparison theory , psychology , social psychology , the arts , interpretation (philosophy) , self concept , developmental psychology , visual arts , art , computer science , programming language
We examined the role of social comparison in changes in the artistic self‐concept of adolescents attending an advanced arts programme. Unfavourable comparisons that promoted a sense of inferiority and favourable comparisons that promoted inspiration were measured just prior to, in the first week of, and at the end of the 6 week programme. Consistent with the ‘big fish little pond effect’, inferiority comparisons made during the programme were associated with negative changes in self‐concept. Consistent with the social comparison literature, however, inspiration comparisons made during the programme were associated with positive changes in self‐concept. Rather than suggesting that exposure to highly talented peers is necessarily unfavourable, results suggest that the interpretation of the comparisons made in situ determines the favourability of such exposure.