| Examining the impact of downward comparisons, | | | | comparison, and show that nondepressed people, in |
| many studies have assessed social comparisons by | | | | general, tend to see themselves as superior to others, |
| asking individuals to rate their situation in comparison to | | | | whereas the self-perception of depressed individuals is |
| that of others. Tennen and Affleck refer to such | | | | more likely to include perceptions of inferiority. The |
| measures as comparison conclusions, Wood and | | | | influence of comparative evaluations on subjective |
| VanderZee use the term comparative ratings, | | | | well-being is discussed in detail in chapter 11 by Diener |
| whereas Buunk used the term relative evaluations. | | | | and Fujita. |
| Diener and Fujita and Wood and VanderZee argue | | | | We would suggest, that simply believing that there are |
| that such comparative ratings may not reflect the | | | | others who are worse off is likely to benefit almost |
| outcome of a comparison process at all, but -- more | | | | anyone who is experiencing problems. What this |
| so than other measuressomething else, such as a | | | | suggests is that a belief that one is relatively well off, |
| positive mood. Although the meaning of comparative | | | | which comes about through downward comparison, is |
| ratings may not be completely unambiguous, the | | | | an important step along the way to satisfactory |
| evidence for positive associations between well-being | | | | adjustment. Although we cannot make a definitive |
| and a feeling of being better off than most others is | | | | statement at this point in time (and, indeed, the topic |
| rather strong. To give just a few examples, Heidrich | | | | continues to generate a considerable amount of |
| and Ryff, Buunk, and VanderZee, Buunk, and | | | | controversy and investigation), the research presented |
| Sanderman all found that psychological well-being is | | | | in this volume does shed considerable light on the issue |
| affected directly by the perception of being better off | | | | of when downward comparisons will have favorable |
| than similar others, independent of physical health. Even | | | | effects. In a nutshell, this research suggests that |
| more convincing, Affleck, Tennen, Pfeiffer, Fifield, and | | | | individuals are likely to receive some emotional benefit |
| Rowe showed that persons with rheumatoid arthritis | | | | from such comparisons when they engage in some |
| who thought their illness was less severe than that of | | | | form of counterfactual thinking vis à vis the |
| other victims were rated by health care providers as | | | | target, that is, when they believe there was, or is, |
| more positively adjusted, even when data analysis | | | | some possibility that their own situation could have |
| controlled for the effects of disease activity, duration, | | | | resembled that of the target but in fact will, or does, |
| and functional status of the patients. More generally, | | | | not. One implication of this is that individuals who |
| Tennen and Affleck point out that the conclusion that | | | | believe their own situation will decline (such as those |
| others are worse off is typically associated with | | | | who are terminally ill or those who are depressed) are |
| positive adjustment. In a similar vein, Ahrens and Alloy | | | | not likely to benefit from comparison with others who |
| discuss the relation between depression and social | | | | are more ill. |