The Psychology Behind Our Bias for Upward Comparisons in Life
- abbygagnon1
- Dec 10, 2025
- 3 min read
In our daily lives, we fall into the routine of constantly comparing ourselves to others. Whether its material wealth, physical beauty, or a seemingly-perfect lifestyle, or something small, the mental dialogue remains the same: If only I had that one certain thing, I would be content.
This phenomena can incite feelings of jealousy, self-hatred, or even downright rage.
“We think about ourselves in terms of being on a certain rung with some people above us, and other people below us. Where we think we stand on that ladder tells you a lot about a person’s life and their life outcomes.”Keith Payne, Social Psychologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
It’s as if human beings are programmed to put themselves into a competition with the people around them. How does embarking on the pursuit of the unattainable affect our bodies and mind?
Take a look at the hierarchal model of the first class area on an airplane:
First class is boarded onto the plane first. They are given ample leg room and large seats to spread out in. You get what you pay for, right? What lies behind this seemingly-straightforward built environment is a deeper psychological effect: air rage.
A fascinating study was done on air rage incidents in 2015 that revealed physical inequality on an airplane is associated with more frequent air rage incidents in economy class. Also, they found that boarding from the front of the plane (and walking past first class) versus the middle of the plane also increases the chance of air rage in both first and economy classes. The creators of the study believed that “physical design that highlights inequality can trigger antisocial behavior on airplanes. More broadly, these results point to the importance of considering the design of environments—from air- planes to office layouts to stadium seating—in understanding both the form and emergence of antisocial behavior.”
Inequality appears to have a psychological effect on people that incites aggressive behavior. Studies have shown that flight companies who board their passengers from the back or middle tend to deal with less of these incidents.
With this in mind, if the economy class flyers are subconsciously or consciously comparing themselves to those in first class, then those in first class are also comparing themselves to a higher status than they possess. Maybe it’s to people who own private jets. Or perhaps it’s the opposite, like looking down on those who fly economy class.
“There’s a pronounced tendency we have to make upward comparisons in all areas of life. And it’s not always the case. Sometimes, we compare downward or to other people who are similar to us. But we have this pronounced bias to compare upward.”Keith Payne, Social Psychologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The phenomena of an upward bias. It’s not fully understood why it happens or why every single one of us seem to take part in it.
We justify comparing ourselves to others in our everyday lives under the label of “inspiration for motivation” because we don’t like to acknowledge our the unhealthy facets of out psyche.
Inequality seems to do a variety of interesting things to the way our minds and bodies behave. One is that the immediate future lets us dwell on it. It’s rendering us reckless, focusing on the here and now. The social threat of feeling as if you are at a lower rung on the social ladder (due to comparison) causes you to engage in high-risk, high-reward activities. This could be one of the factors that explains the constant feeling of unrest and numerous stress responses when we someone who has more than us.
Because comparison is human nature, its impossible to just erase it from your thoughts just like that. However, there is a way that we use it to our advantage:
“So it depends on what your goal is. Do you want to feel – take a break from feeling stressed? Well, then, do some downward social comparison. Do you want to feel motivated and energized to go out and do more? Do some upward social comparisons.”Keith Payne, Social Psychologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Although neither option is particularly fulfilling to take part in, the idea of being cognizant about what you choose to let rule your thoughts and emotions can help.
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