When Comparison Doesn't Hurt: Social Comparison Orientation and Life Satisfaction Among Pakistani University Students

Abstract

This study examined how social comparison orientation relates to life satisfaction in a digital era where people are constantly exposed to others' lives and achievements through social media. Using a quantitative design, data were collected from 308 respondents through an online survey built around the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Contrary to the original prediction of a negative association, social comparison orientation was significantly and positively related to life satisfaction, r = .40, p < .001, and it emerged as a meaningful predictor in regression, explaining 16% of the variance in life satisfaction (R² = .16). The findings suggest that social comparison, when engaged in constructively, can act as a motivational process that supports well-being rather than eroding it. By showing how context-specific the effects of comparison can be in digital settings, the study adds a useful counterpoint to the prevailing view and offers practical pointers for healthier social media engagement and more positive comparison habits.

Keywords: Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) Scale,  Youth,  Social Media,  Pakistan