Effect of Social Comparison on Procrastination: Mediating Role of Fear of Negative Evaluation

This study examined how social comparison impacts procrastination and evaluated the mediating role of fear of negative evaluation for university students. Based on the Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954) it was hypothesized that an individual's inclination to engage in social comparison would correlate with increased fear of negative evaluation, resulting in increased procrastination. The sample consisted of 300 university students who completed self-report standardized measures: the Social Comparison Scale (SCS), Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE-S), and General Procrastination Scale (GPS). The regression and mediation analyses indicated that procrastination was significantly predicted by social comparison, both directly and indirectly, through their fear of negative evaluation. The mediation model was statistically significant, indicating fear of negative evaluation is a partial mediator between social comparison and procrastination. The results provide indications toward a promising alternative understanding of procrastination not only as a behavioral impediment but to also include cognitive and emotional aspects related to social evaluation concerns. The results of the study provide support for the essential of consideration of fear of self-evaluation or judgment when considering behavior change options in addressing procrastination among university students.