Relevant Research:

In 1993, at La Trobe University, 213 first years students participated in a controlled exercise were in which they logged “spontaneous comparisons” before and after a laboratory research assignment was due, students were adamantly instructed not to make comparisons but simply acknowledge if they did.

The same method of observation was used over three separate assignments.

The research team then evaluated the findings, pre and post submissions, over the three reports with the ability of the students and concluded that they make the comparisons with students of like ability , or to a lesser extent, those perceived by the other students who would be better at the impending work task.

This finding was contrary to an earlier study by Festinger (1954), who stated that social comparison was more suited to take place in an ambiguous situation, such as before the submission rather then after the objective was made more clear and feedback was given.

Real Life Situtation:

It is apparent that one of the more flagrant instances were this theory would be applied is in a work related environment as stated in Festinger’s theory.

In my example I would illustrate that pending a work assignment, I would compare it to someone in which I perceived to be intelligent and studious to gauge if my assignment was sufficient, to take ideas and the like from their and essentially see how my assignment, in it’s “raw form” pre-comparison, would fare against theres.

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