How dissimilar others may still resemble the self:: Assimilation and contrast after social comparison

This research addressed the determinants of self-evaluative assimilation and contrast after comparison to highly attractive models. Experiment I showed that the manipulation of the headlines in advertising campaigns sufficed to influence the direction of spontaneous comparisons to idealized models for both women and men. Experiment 2 replicated these findings in a context in which participants were explicitly asked to compare themselves to the depicted models. The results suggest that spontaneous comparison processes, even to high standards, may lead to either assimilation or contrast as a function of initially perceived similarities. Theoretical implications as well as implications for perceivers are discussed.