Use downward comparison with care

Occasionally — not constantly — compare to those facing greater difficulty to restore perspective without becoming dismissive.

Why it works

Downward comparison (to those worse off) can restore perspective and counter the distorted baseline that upward comparison installs. Its mechanism is contrast: the same situation looks different against a harder reference point. Used rarely and combined with genuine empathy, it resets the baseline; used habitually or cruelly, it produces superiority that erodes empathy and prevents honest self-assessment.

How to do it

1. When upward comparison is creating significant distress, deliberately expand your reference frame: "What would people with far fewer resources make of this challenge?"
2. Pair the downward comparison with gratitude — it is a dual restoration of perspective, not a dismissal.
3. Limit this practice; habitual downward comparison as a mood regulation strategy can prevent real engagement with legitimate goals.
4. Never use it to dismiss others’ difficulties or your own legitimate aspirations.

Evidence

Downward social comparison produces short-term mood improvements in experimental studies. Its effects on motivation and well-being are more mixed; it can reduce motivation if it triggers complacency. (observational)

Habitual downward comparison as a coping strategy is associated with reduced empathy and, in some samples, avoidance of improvement. Use sparingly.

Sources

• Wills (1981), downward comparison principles in human judgment, Psychological Bulletin

Common mistake

Using downward comparison as a primary confidence strategy — it provides temporary relief but does not address the underlying comparison drive, and can produce guilt or superiority.