Extending Social Comparison: An Examination of the Unintended Consequences of Idealized Advertising Imagery

The literature indicates that the idealized images of physical attractiveness found in advertising have a negative impact on girls' and women's self-perceptions. The current study extends this research to males and adds the dimension of financial success. The empirical findings presented here indicate that exposure to idealized images of both physical attractiveness and financial success have a negative effect on males' self-evaluations. This study also examines the role of attention to social comparison information (ATSCI) in moderating the effects, and finds that high ATSCI sometimes exacerbates the unintended consequences of attractive advertising images on people's self-perceptions.