It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific Comparisons
Unrealistic Optimism (UO) appears when comparing participants’ risk estimates for themselves with an average peer, which typically results in lower risk estimates for the self. This article reports nuanced effects when comparison varies in terms of the gender of the peer. In three studies (total N =...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | American Journal of Men's Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883231152154 |
| _version_ | 1797937182764171264 |
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| author | Wojciech Kulesza Dariusz Dolinski Caterina Suitner Oliver Genschow Paweł Muniak Kamil Izydorczak Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara |
| author_facet | Wojciech Kulesza Dariusz Dolinski Caterina Suitner Oliver Genschow Paweł Muniak Kamil Izydorczak Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara |
| author_sort | Wojciech Kulesza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Unrealistic Optimism (UO) appears when comparing participants’ risk estimates for themselves with an average peer, which typically results in lower risk estimates for the self. This article reports nuanced effects when comparison varies in terms of the gender of the peer. In three studies (total N = 2,468, representative sample), we assessed people’s risk estimates for COVID-19 infections for peers with the same or other gender. If a peer’s gender is not taken into account, previous studies were replicated: Compared with others, participants perceived themselves as less likely to get infected with COVID-19. Interestingly, this effect was qualified by gender: Respondents perceived women as less threatened than men because women are perceived as more cautious and compliant with medical guidelines. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T18:40:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-615b6aef72ed4e31bfef525b880e5696 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1557-9891 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T18:40:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | American Journal of Men's Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-615b6aef72ed4e31bfef525b880e56962023-02-01T14:33:30ZengSAGE PublishingAmerican Journal of Men's Health1557-98912023-01-011710.1177/15579883231152154It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific ComparisonsWojciech Kulesza0Dariusz Dolinski1Caterina Suitner2Oliver Genschow3Paweł Muniak4Kamil Izydorczak5Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara6Warsaw Faculty, Centre for Research on Social Relations, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Psychology in Wroclaw, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, ItalySocial Cognition Center Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, GermanyWarsaw Faculty, Centre for Research on Social Relations, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Psychology in Wroclaw, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, ItalyUnrealistic Optimism (UO) appears when comparing participants’ risk estimates for themselves with an average peer, which typically results in lower risk estimates for the self. This article reports nuanced effects when comparison varies in terms of the gender of the peer. In three studies (total N = 2,468, representative sample), we assessed people’s risk estimates for COVID-19 infections for peers with the same or other gender. If a peer’s gender is not taken into account, previous studies were replicated: Compared with others, participants perceived themselves as less likely to get infected with COVID-19. Interestingly, this effect was qualified by gender: Respondents perceived women as less threatened than men because women are perceived as more cautious and compliant with medical guidelines.https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883231152154 |
| spellingShingle | Wojciech Kulesza Dariusz Dolinski Caterina Suitner Oliver Genschow Paweł Muniak Kamil Izydorczak Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific Comparisons American Journal of Men's Health |
| title | It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific Comparisons |
| title_full | It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific Comparisons |
| title_fullStr | It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific Comparisons |
| title_full_unstemmed | It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific Comparisons |
| title_short | It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific Comparisons |
| title_sort | it matters to whom you compare yourself the case of unrealistic optimism and gender specific comparisons |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883231152154 |
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