Social Comparison Proxy Model for Ability Self-Evaluation

一种新的理论——代理模型——解决了在现实能力评估中使用社会比较信息的问题。以前的社会比较理论并没有提供一个系统的解释，说明社会比较信息是如何被用来回答这个问题的：我能做X吗？最近的社会比较实证研究主要关注的是出于自我提升或自我保护目的的比较过程，而不是自我评价。目前的调查又回到了这样一个问题：当人们想要或需要准确预测未来表现时，如何使用比较信息。代理模型建立在Heider（1958）的见解基础上，并扩展了Goethals和Darley（1977）提出的相关属性假设。从本质上讲，代理模型认为，可以通过与已经完成感兴趣任务的代理进行比较来预测某些领域的未来性能。信息代理是指(1)在最大努力的条件下，与比较者在相关的先前任务上表现相似的代理，或(2)与比较者共享相关属性，使他或她能够推断代理的最大能力与他或她自己的能力相似。提出了八个实验；所有这些都有一个共同的范式，即参与者在收到不同类型的比较信息后预测表现。对准确性的激励也是被操纵的，提供高与低的动机来做出准确的估计。本研究旨在为代理模型提供证据，并加深对自我评价心理学的理解。本研究不仅提高了社会比较理论的基础知识，而且增加了对社会比较在自尊、目标设定和自我效能等相关现象的理解。拟议中的实验是关于人们如何决定他们是否有能力完成涉及体力或智力的任务。一段时间以来，社会科学家已经认识到，人们与他人的比较会影响，并在一定程度上决定我们对自己所能取得的成就的表现预测。决定哪些人的表现会影响我们的因素还不是很清楚。拟议中的研究基于一种新理论——代理模型（Proxy Model），该理论确定了他人的特征，这些特征有助于对自己的表现做出预测和选择。八项实验研究将检验代理模型的基本要素和含义。本研究不仅有助于我们理解社会心理学中的一个经典现象，而且为理解人们如何选择学业和工作绩效目标，以及社会因素如何在学校和工作环境中维持学习和表现的动机提供了有用的信息。通过说明社会因素如何影响人们对未来学业和工作表现的预测，我们也了解了人们可能为之奋斗的目标，以及当他们达到或未能达到他们的期望时他们应该做出的反应，这两个话题对我们的社会至关重要。

A new theory -- the Proxy Model -- addresses the use of social comparison information in realistic appraisals of ability. Previous social comparison theories have not provided a systematic explanation of how social comparison information is used to answer the question: Can I do X? Recent empirical studies of social comparison have primarily attended to comparison processes motivated by self-enhancement or self-protection purposes, rather than self-assessment. The present investigation returns to the question of how comparison information is used when people want or need accurate predictions of future performance. The Proxy Model builds on insights from Heider (1958) and extends the related attributes hypothesis developed by Goethals and Darley (1977). In essence, the Proxy Model contends that future performance in some domain can be predicted by comparing with a proxy who has already completed the task of interest. An informative proxy is one who either (1) performed similarly, under conditions of maximal effort, to the comparer on a related, previous task or (2) shares related attributes with the comparer that allow him or her to infer that Proxy's maximal capability is similar to his or her own. Eight experiments are proposed; all share a common paradigm in which participants predict performance after receiving various types of comparison information. Incentive for accuracy is also manipulated, providing high vs. low motivation to make accurate estimates. The proposed studies should provide evidence for the Proxy Model, and add to deeper understanding of the psychology of self-evaluation. The proposed research both advances basic knowledge about social comparison theory and increases understanding of related phenomena for which social comparisons play a vital role, such as self-esteem, goal setting, and self-efficacy. %%% The proposed experiments are concerned with how people decide whether they are capable of achieving performance tasks involving physical or intellectual abilities. For some time, social scientists have recognized that the comparisons people make with others influence, and partially determine, our performance predictions about what we can achieve ourselves. The factors that determine which persons' performances affect us are not well understood. The proposed studies are based on a new theory, the Proxy Model, which identifies the characteristics of other people which make them useful for making performance predictions and choices for one's self. Eight experimental studies will examine basic elements and implications of the Proxy model. The proposed research will not only contribute to our understanding of a classic phenomenon in social psychology, but also provide useful information in understanding how people choose academic and job performance goals, and how social factors contribute to the maintenance of motivation to learn and perform in school and work settings. By specifying how social factors influence the predictions people make about their future academic and job performance, we also learn about the goals people are likely to strive for, and the reactions they should have when they meet or fail to meet their expectations, two topics of pressing importance for our society.