It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific Comparisons

Wojciech Kulesza; Dariusz Dolinski; Caterina Suitner; Oliver Genschow; Paweł Muniak; Kamil Izydorczak; Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara

doi:10.1177/15579883231152154

It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific Comparisons

Wojciech Kulesza
, Dariusz Dolinski
, Caterina Suitner
, Oliver Genschow
, Paweł Muniak
, Kamil Izydorczak^*
, Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara

^*Korrespondierende/r Autor/-in für diese Arbeit

Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › Begutachtung

2 Zitate (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

Originalsprache	Englisch
Zeitschrift	American Journal of Men's Health
Jahrgang	17
Ausgabenummer	1
Seitenumfang	13
ISSN	1557-9883
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883231152154
Publikationsstatus	Erschienen - 02.2023
Extern publiziert	Ja

Bibliographische Notiz

Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) within the Urgency Grants granted to Wojciech Kulesza (number: PPN/GIN/2020/1/00063/U/00001).

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.

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SDG 3 – Gute Gesundheit und Wohlergehen

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Psychologie

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Öffentliche Gesundheit, Umwelt- und Arbeitsmedizin
Gesundheit (Sozialwissenschaften)

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10.1177/15579883231152154Lizenz: CC BY-NC

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abstract = "Unrealistic Optimism (UO) appears when comparing participants{\textquoteright} 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{\textquoteright}s risk estimates for COVID-19 infections for peers with the same or other gender. If a peer{\textquoteright}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.",

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note = "Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) within the Urgency Grants granted to Wojciech Kulesza (number: PPN/GIN/2020/1/00063/U/00001). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2023.",

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AU - Dolinski, Dariusz

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AU - Genschow, Oliver

AU - Muniak, Paweł

AU - Izydorczak, Kamil

AU - Salvador Casara, Bruno Gabriel

N1 - Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) within the Urgency Grants granted to Wojciech Kulesza (number: PPN/GIN/2020/1/00063/U/00001). Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2023.

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KW - social comparisons

KW - Unrealistic Optimism bias

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It Matters to Whom You Compare Yourself: The Case of Unrealistic Optimism and Gender-Specific Comparisons

Abstract

Bibliographische Notiz

UN SDGs

Fachgebiete und Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

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