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What is it?
This research paper investigates how people evaluate themselves and make decisions based on comparisons, specifically exploring the differences between comparing themselves to other people (social comparisons) and to their own past selves (temporal comparisons).
The study focuses on downward comparisons, where the comparison target is worse off than oneself, and examines how these comparisons influence perceptions of morality and subsequent brand evaluations.
Major Findings:
Temporal comparisons are viewed as more moral: Participants consistently rated temporal comparisons as more virtuous than social comparisons across a variety of domains (salary, appearance, possessions, behaviors, etc.).
Downward social comparisons damage brand morality: When brands encouraged downward social comparisons (e.g., "Be the envy of your neighbors"), consumers viewed them as less moral and less appealing. This effect was observed across different product categories (jewelry, meal kits, travel services) and for both for-profit and non-profit brands.
Status inferences mediate the effect: The negative impact of downward social comparisons stemmed from the perception that the brand was promoting status-seeking behavior, which was seen as immoral.
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What do I need to know:
Comparison type matters for moral judgments: Brands should be mindful of the type of comparison they elicit in their marketing, as it can significantly impact consumer perceptions of brand morality.
Temporal comparisons are generally safer: Encouraging self-improvement and focusing on personal progress is less likely to trigger negative moral judgments than emphasizing social comparisons.
Status-seeking can backfire: Promoting status and superiority over others can be perceived as immoral and damage a brand's image, especially among consumers with lower status motives.
Source:
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5029337