Inspired by Hope, Motivated by Envy: Comparing the Effects of Discrete Emotions in the Process of Social Comparison to Media Figures

Envy Mediates the Link Between Social Comparison and Appearance Enhancement in Women

“…Although these findings are correlational in nature, they are gleaned from a sample of young women at the peak of their reproductive lifespan, individuals who are perhaps most likely to be affected by intrasexual competition in the mating domain. Our results converge with evidence that envy naturally occurs in women's everyday social comparisons (McKee et al 2013), physical attractiveness comparisons (DelPriore et al 2012;, body comparisons with respect to sports and exercise (Pila et al 2014), and media comparisons affecting cosmetic surgery choices (Nabi and Keblusek 2014). The finding that dispositional envy mediated links between appearance comparison and appearance enhancement motives are consistent with those of Nabi and Keblusek (2014) who found that envy mediated links between attractiveness comparison to media figures (i.e., individuals featured on makeover programs) and cosmetic surgery motives.…”

“…Our results converge with evidence that envy naturally occurs in women's everyday social comparisons (McKee et al 2013), physical attractiveness comparisons (DelPriore et al 2012;, body comparisons with respect to sports and exercise (Pila et al 2014), and media comparisons affecting cosmetic surgery choices (Nabi and Keblusek 2014). The finding that dispositional envy mediated links between appearance comparison and appearance enhancement motives are consistent with those of Nabi and Keblusek (2014) who found that envy mediated links between attractiveness comparison to media figures (i.e., individuals featured on makeover programs) and cosmetic surgery motives. Our findings add to this literature by examining appearance comparison more broadly and its effects on a larger range of appearance enhancement motives (purchase of appearance enhancement products, desire to lose weight, and skin tanning).…”

“…In support of this model, Pila et al (2014) found that among undergraduates, the most frequently reported trigger of body-related envy was a discrepancy in physical comparisons, and that envy predicted reported exercise motivation and behaviors. Moreover, Nabi and Keblusek (2014) found that women's self-reported comparisons with media figures were associated with greater reported intention to undergo risky cosmetic surgical procedures (e.g., botulinum toxin injections, liposuction, breast implants), and that envy (rather than hope or sadness) mediated this relationship; however, this study was limited in its focus solely on extreme appearance enhancement (i.e., cosmetic) procedures, as well as in the cross-sectional nature of its design, leaving unanswered the question of whether envy mediates a more generalized tendency among women to enhance their physical attractiveness in light of making appearance-based social comparisons.…”

The reciprocal and indirect relationships between passive Facebook use, comparison on Facebook, and adolescents' body dissatisfaction

“…Building on the assumptions of this theory, it could be that body dissatisfaction inspires adolescents to compare themselves to idealized peers in the media with the aim of self-improvement. This possibility of a reversal of causal direction would be supported by self-improvement literature (Zillmann & Bryant, 1985), which suggests that individuals can use social appearance comparisons to improve their selves on a particular aspect (Buunk & Gibbons, 2007;Nabi & Keblusek, 2014). Given that SNSs, such as Facebook, provide adolescent users an ideal media platform for social comparisons with peers (e.g., Fox & Moreland, 2015;Haferkamp & Krämer, 2011), it is likely to expect that adolescents with higher levels of body dissatisfaction will be especially inclined to engage in comparison on Facebook.…”

Cognitive Dissonance, Social Comparison, and Disseminating Untruthful or Negative Truthful Ewom Messages

“…If after experiencing cognitive dissonance, consumers compare their experiences with those of other users, then their psychological cognition also changes. Along with these changes, other behaviors become more likely to change, such as sharing experiences and information via WOM or repeat buying (e.g., Nabi & Keblusek, 2014). Festinger (1957) uses the social comparison theory to explain that individuals have an internal drive to uphold outside images with which they evaluate their own opinions and abilities.…”