• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.1626-1638
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• 2019

Social Networking Sites (SNS) provide people with unique online social interaction environments where users can disclose their thoughts, feelings, and opinions to their personal contacts. Although previous studies have suggested that such activities produce positive effects on SNS user well-being, this study considered potential negative effects by investigating the relationship between SNS use and depression. In particular, This stydy examined how specific activities are related to different types of social comparison (upward/downward/horizontal) and how these different types of social comparison influence depressed moods among college students. The analysis of a survey of 245 Instagram users found that (1) looking at other people's status updates and commenting on other people's photos influences upward social comparison, (2) frequency of Instagram use predicts upward/downward/horizontal social comparison, and (3) upward social comparison was postively associated with depression, while downward social comparison was negatively associated with depression. Furthermore, the path anlaysis show that social comparison mediates the effect of Instagram use on depression. It suggests that Instagram use does not directly increase depression but it can lead to depression when social comparison on Instagram triggers depression.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.238-248
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• 2020

This study examines the feelings of positivity and negativity generated through upward social comparison and explores the impact of the results of the emotions on SNS users' posting behavior. In particular, this study aims to systematically identify the influence of upward social comparison on SNS followers and uploaders' SNS usage behavior and the structural principle of social network circulation in which followers become uploaders again. According to the analysis, interaction-oriented followers made negative upward social comparison and positive upward social comparison, while negative upward social comparison reduced the publication of independence tendency. However, positive upward social comparison has been shown to increase both independent and interactive postings. The results of this study are meaningful in that SNS has expanded the results of prior studies, in which social comparison theories were biased toward negative upward comparisons, to positive upward comparisons. In addition, this study suggested a practical strategy for SNS platform operators on how SNS users would not deviate from other platforms.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.445-452
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• 2016

The purposes of this study were to examine the two processes of social comparison and self-comparison, and to suggest the applications of social comparison theories and self-comparison theories. For these purposes, social comparison theory, self-evaluation maintenance model, control theory, self-discrepancy theory, regulatory focus theory, and temporal comparison theory were reviewed. The processes of social comparison and self-comparison are different, but both comparisons are similar in that they have some effects on self-evaluation, emotion, motivation and behaviors. Suggestions on education, health, economic justice and interpersonal relationships were discussed.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.295-305
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• 2019

This study examined the effects of social comparison orientation and stress coping styles on job-seeking stress experienced by university students. The participants of this study were 324 junior and senior students (151 males and 173 females) from six universities located in Seoul who were preparing for employment. They were asked to respond to a written questionnaire to measure research variables for the Job-Seeking Stress Scale, the Social Comparison Orientation Scale, and the Ways of Coping Checklist. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and a hierarchical multiple regression. The major findings of this study were as follows. First, social comparison orientation had a positive effect on job-seeking stress of university students, revealing that students with a high level of social comparison orientation were more likely to experience job-seeking stress. Second, both emotion-alleviation coping style and wishful thinking coping style increased level of job-seeking stress. In addition, problem-focused coping style had a negative influence on job-seeking stress, whereas social support seeking coping style had no significant effect on it. The results suggested that it would be possible to reduce job-seeking stress of university students by changing either social comparison or stress coping style.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.574-590
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• 2016

This research aims to examine the effects of various types of social comparison in SNS on users' life satisfaction. For this, this research posited four types of social comparison including upward contrast, upward identification, downward contrast and downward identification that might affect SNS users' life satisfaction. Several other factors including demographic variables, SNS usage time, offline social capital and social comparison orientation as control variables were taken into account and the moderating effects of social comparison orientation in the relationships between four types of social comparison and users' life satisfaction was also examined. An online survey was employed for collecting data and the date collected were analyzed with hierarchical regression analysis. The results showed that ages and marriage status have influences on SNS users' life satisfaction. It was proven that the degrees to which SNS users participate in family activities and club/group activities in which they are interested have correlations with their life satisfaction. The findings also revealed that only upward contrast and upward identification among four types of social comparison have influences on the life satisfaction and there is the moderating effect of social comparison orientation on the relationship between upward identification and life satisfaction. On the basis of the results, the necessity of new perspectives in understanding social comparison experience in SNS as compared to the existing literature were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.577-597
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• 2013

It has been known that it shows the negative correlation between social comparison and happiness. Nevertheless, the correlation depends on self-concept and motivation of comparison which a person take. Current study examined the effect of cultural self-concept (interdependent self, subjective-objective self) on social comparison and happiness (subjective well-being and psychological well-being), Total 2000 among 30-69 years old respondents participated in this survey. We found that, first, people with high interdependent self feel less happiness as they take more social comparison, but the people with low interdependent self do not show the relational pattern. Second, people with objective self show the negative correlation with happiness and social comparison, but there is no correlation with happiness and social comparison among people with subjective self. The implication for study were discussed.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2023

Purpose: The aim of this descriptive study was to identify the factors influencing depression risk among South Korean nursing students. Methods: The data were collected from nursing students attending two universities through web-based questionnaires that surveyed them about depression, academic stress, social network service (SNS) addiction tendency, and upward social comparison from August 22 to September 4, 2021. The collected data from 196 nursing students were analyzed by t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression. Results: The mean score of depression (using CES-D Korean version) among nursing students was 13.91, which denotes probable depression. Concerning the variance with regard to depression among nursing students, 20.2% was explained by clinical practice period, academic stress, and upward social comparison. Conclusion: Programs to relieve academic stress and depression should be developed in a simple way and systematically provided at the organizational level so that nursing students secure sufficient support during the initial and continuing period of clinical practicums. Concomitantly, an attempt to reduce the upward social comparison should be highly considered.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.163-188
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• 2023

Purpose The study examines the impact of the level of anthropomorphism (both in appearance and behavior) of virtual humans on user liking. It investigates whether this relationship is mediated by social comparison experiences, with the moderated mediation effect of users' desire for self-improvement. Design/methodology/approach A between-groups experimental design was employed to examine the impact of different levels of appearance(low/mid/high) and behavior(low/high) anthropomorphism on user liking of virtual humans. The experiment was conducted in an online environment, and participants were randomly exposed to one of six stimuli, which were Instagram-like posts. Findings The results indicate that as virtual humans become more anthropomorphic, they have a positive impact on user liking. However, once the level of anthropomorphism in appearance reaches a certain point (mid vs high), there is no significant difference in user liking. Users who perceive virtual humans as highly anthropomorphic tend to engage in more social comparison experiences, which positively affects their liking for these virtual humans. Conversely, individuals with a high desire for self-improvement found that the positive effect of appearance anthropomorphism on liking through social comparison experiences was reduced. The study extends the application of social comparison theory by examining its impact on influencer marketing with virtual beings. It provides valuable insights for the formulation of influencer marketing strategies using virtual humans.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.555-575
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• 2022

Recently, dating violence has emerged as a serious social problem, but there is not enough research on controlling behavior among the subtypes of dating violence. Thise study explored the relationship between psychological entitlement and controlling behavior, and the mediation effect of social dominance orientation and social comparison orientation. Furthermore, the study examined if the mediation effect of social dominance orientation between psychological entitlement and controlling behavior differed by gender. As a result, the higher the level of psychological entitlement, the stronger the level of social dominance orientation, social comparison orientation, and the controlling behavior. In addition, the stronger the level of social dominance orientation and social comparison orientation, the more frequently was the occurance of the controlling behavior committed. The level of social dominance orientation mediated the relationship between psychological entitlement and controlling behavior. The level of ability comparison orientation mediated the relationship between psychological entitlement and controlling behavior. The mediation effect of social dominance orientation between psychological entitlement and controlling behavior was moderated by gender. In other words, the mediation effect of social dominance orientation between psychological entitlement and controlling behavior was significant for the male, but not for the female. The limitations of the study and suggestions for further research were discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.81-94
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• 2019

Social media is an essential part of everyday life in modern society and plays an important role in communicating the ideal body image. With the increased prevalence and high popularity of social media, the problems associated with the addictive use of social media have become a social issue. Utilizing social comparison theory, this study examined (1) the effect of appearance related photo activities on body satisfaction through appearance comparison and (2) the moderating effect of Instagram addiction in relationships among appearance related photo activity, appearance comparison, and body satisfaction. We tested the proposed relationships between research variables using multi-group structural equation modeling analysis on a sample of 346 young female Instagram users. The sample was divided into two groups of high and low addicted Instagram users. The results of this study showed that the appearance related photo activity positively influenced appearance comparison for both high and low addiction groups. For the high addiction group, the effect of appearance comparison on body satisfaction was not statistically significant; however, this relationship was significant and negative for the low addiction group. A significant moderating effect of Instagram addiction was found in the relationship between appearance related photo activity and appearance comparison.