Social Comparisons and Their Role in Shaping Contemporary Consumers’ Behaviors
Social Comparisons and Their Role in Shaping Contemporary Consumers’ Behaviors

Summary/Abstract: People tend to perceive value of their attributes and objects they possess in relative terms, i.e. based on social comparisons. These comparisons shape consumers’ behavior as well as their aspirations, lifestyle, self-esteem and happiness. The aim of the paper was to establish the role of social comparisons in shaping consumers’ behavior and to identify comparative reference groups, in the light of literature and primary research results. The data confirm that Polish consumers engage in social comparisons, and some of them do it regularly. Small but significant fraction of consumers use effects of comparisons, i.e. knowledge of consumption patterns realized by peer and aspirational groups, while shaping their current and future consumption.

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