Relationship social comparison tendencies, insecurity, and perceived relationship quality

Abstract

Three studies examine associations between relationship social comparison (RSC) tendencies, insecurity, and perceived relationship quality. Study 1 (68 females, 9 males) showed that RSC was associated with self-esteem, anxious and avoidant attachment styles, and relationship insecurity. RSC associations with anxious attachment and insecurity, but not avoidant attachment, held when controlling for self-esteem. Study 2 (322 females, 95 males) showed that RSC was associated with intimacy, satisfaction, investment, commitment, and relationship alternatives. RSC associations held when controlling for general comparison tendencies for all except investment. Study 3 (61 females, 11 males) showed that RSC was associated with changes in relationship insecurity and satisfaction over time, and that insecurity mediated the relationship between RSC and satisfaction.

Relationship social comparison interpretations and dating relationship quality, behaviors, and mood

“…Social comparisons are common within both the close relationship literature (e.g., Broemer & Diehl, ; Buunk et al, ; Buunk & Ybema, ; Smith LeBeau & Buckingham, ) and the nonrelationship literature (e.g., Bui & Pelham, ; Lockwood, ). Of interest to the present research, previous researchers have suggested that how an individual interprets a social comparison may have implications for the self and one's relationship (e.g., Buunk et al, ; Van der Zee et al, ).…”

“…Secure individuals hold more positive beliefs (Collins & Read, ) and expectations (Baldwin, Fehr, Keedian, Seidel, & Thomson, ) about others and explain their partner's behavior in more positive terms (N. L. Collins, 1996) than insecure individuals. Insecurity is also related to greater social comparison tendencies (Smith LeBeau & Buckingham, ). Therefore, insecure relative to secure individuals should make more relationship social comparisons and more negative interpretations.…”

“…We included the 20‐item Positive ( M = 3.03, SD = 0.88, α = .90) and Negative ( M = 4.47, SD = 0.59, α = .87) Affect Scale (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, ), and consistent with Buunk & Ybema (), we used composite measures of positive and negative affect. Participants also completed the 24‐item RSCO scale (e.g., “I compare how happy I am in my relationship to how happy I think others are in their relationships”; M = 2.84, SD = 0.69, α = .95; Smith LeBeau & Buckingham, ) to measure the frequency of relationship social comparisons. The last two scales were measured on a 5‐point scale.…”

“…Romantic relationships fulfill the need for comfort and security (Shaver & Mikulincer, ) and are important for happiness and life satisfaction (Lucas & Dyrenforth, ). Romantic relationships are often seen as an extension of the self (Aron, Aron, Tudor, & Nelson, ), and individuals use social comparisons to evaluate these relationships (Broemer & Diehl, ; Smith LeBeau & Buckingham, ; Wayment & Campbell, ). Indeed, relationship social comparisons are common (Surra & Milardo, ), and individuals spontaneously compare their relationships with those of their friends (Titus, ).…”

“…The second purpose was to determine associations between the RSCI factors and relationship outcomes after accounting for social comparison direction and the individual's relationship social comparison orientation (RSCO). The RSCO scale is a measure of one's tendency to make a relationship social comparison that is associated with satisfaction, commitment, and relationship alternatives (Smith LeBeau & Buckingham, ). Relationship social comparisons can impact relationship satisfaction (Broemer & Diehl, ; Buunk & Van der Eijnden, ), and general social comparisons can impact affect (Bui & Pelham, ; R. L. Collins, 1996).…”