Being better than you is better for us

Attachment avoidance and social comparisons within romantic relationships

Bibliographic Data

ID2929933
AuthorsSabrina Thai (0000-0003-1333-6825, University of Toronto, corresponding author), Penelope Lockwood (0000-0002-2598-4267, University of Toronto), Rebecca T Pinkus (0000-0003-0817-9343, Western Sydney University), Samuel Y Chen (University of Toronto), Samuel Chen (0000-0001-7740-006X, University of Toronto)
Year2016
Volume33
Issue4
Pages493-514
Publication date2016-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Social and Personal Relationships (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0265-4075 • E-ISSN: 1460-3608
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0265407515578826
OpenAlexW2053056117
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited51

A growing body of literature suggests that individuals respond more positively when outperformed by their partner (an upward comparison) than when they outperform the partner (a downward comparison). However, these findings may not apply to individuals high in attachment avoidance due to their negative working models of others. In two studies, we investigated whether feelings of closeness following social comparisons to the romantic partner are moderated by attachment avoidance. Participants were asked to recall (Study 1) and imagine (Study 2) comparisons. Avoidant participants felt closer to their partners following a downward comparison relative to an upward comparison. These studies suggest that for avoidant individuals, outperforming their partners is more beneficial for the relationship than being outperformed by their partners

Closeness · Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Feeling · Recall · Romance · Social comparison theory · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Psychology · Social Psychology

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