Explain Social Comparison Theory Flashcards

In the Gump and Kulik (1997) experiment described in the text, women expecting to be shocked chose to

Often, we turn to others to evaluate our actions, feelings, or abilities. This idea is the basis for

_____ is most important when there are no objective standards by which to evaluate one's abilities, actions, or opinions.

The use of _____ reflects desires for self-protection when one feels threatened.

Janie has a part-time job and her employer has just cut her hours. She finds comfort by thinking about one of her friends that just lost her job. This is an example of

_____ theory holds that desires for self-evaluation, self-protection, and self-enhancement provide motives for associating with others; and in doing so, they influence which groups we join.

We look for friends and lovers who

Regarding the factors related to interpersonal attraction, which of the following statements is FALSE?

Many relationships can be understood as an ongoing series of _____, which are transfers of attention, information, affection, favors, and the like between two people.

The personal comparison level is _____ for people with histories of satisfying and rewarding relationships; while lonely persons with unsatisfying relationships tend to have _____ comparison levels.