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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Engaging in upward and downward comparisons as a determinant of relative deprivation at work

Vicente González-romáBram P. BuunkMontserrat SubiratsRosario Zurriaga

subject

Organizational Behavior and Human Resource ManagementLongitudinal studySocial comparison orientationINFORMATIONSATISFACTIONmedia_common.quotation_subjectSOCIAL-COMPARISON ORIENTATIONAFFECTIVE CONSEQUENCESSELF-ESTEEMCONTRASTADJUSTMENTmedicine.disease_causenursesrelationships within organizationEducationDevelopmental psychologymedicinesocial comparison orientationLife-span and Life-course StudiesRelative deprivationPREDICTORSApplied Psychologyrelative deprivationA determinantmedia_commonSocial comparison theoryWork (physics)Self-esteemPERFORMANCEDEPRESSIONFeelingPsychology

description

A longitudinal study was conducted among 93 nurses to determine the role of comparing one's performance with that of one's colleagues in the increase versus decrease of perceived relative deprivation at work over a period of one year. Relative deprivation at T2 had increased particularly among those high in social comparison orientation (Gibbons & Buunk, 1999) who at T1 (1) more frequently engaged in upward comparisons; (2) more frequently derived positive as well as negative feelings from such comparisons; and (3) more frequently derived negative feelings from downward comparison. Moreover, engaging in downward comparison also led to an increase in perceived relative deprivation at T2. This study is one of the few to find evidence for longitudinal effects of social comparison activity, and the first to find that such effects occur only for those high in social comparison orientation. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2003-04-01Journal of Vocational Behavior
10.1016/s0001-8791(02)00015-5https://doi.org/10.1016/s0001-8791(02)00015-5