As social animals, we humans are hard-wired to learn, thrive, and grow through our relationships — our engagement with and observations of others. Early in life, we rely on teachers and role models for guidance and support. Through engagement in formal and informal settings, in school, games, and other pursuits in our young lives, comparison begins to seep into our daily lives.

We compare virtually every aspect of our young lives, including our grades, appearance, athletic performance, and popularity, and judge our abilities and attributes in relation to our peers. As our lives expand and we begin to make our way in the world, we seek mentors and role models who align with our values and goals.

Throughout our lives, we continue to scrutinize and judge ourselves. We compare our progress, performance, appearance, relationships, and social and economic status to our peers, our role models, and, thanks to social media, to millions of highly curated lives around the world.

When it comes to comparison traps, there’s nothing that compares to our engagement with social media. Today, as social media engagement is at an all-time high, with an estimated 5.41 billion (65.7 percent of the world’s population) engaged in social media as of July 2025, and the average social media user spending close to two and a half hours a day on social media platforms, our capacity for comparison has expanded to include virtually the whole world.

Social comparison theory, originated........

© Psychology Today