Ascone Leonie, Jaya Edo S, Lincoln Tania M
Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Germany.
Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Germany.
J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2017 Sep;56:97-105. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2016.08.002. Epub 2016 Aug 8.
Low social rank is associated with paranoia, but there is a lack of evidence for causality. We tested the effects of social comparisons on negative affect and paranoia with an online social rank paradigm, and whether striving to avoid inferiority or fears of social rejection moderated paranoid reactions.
Female students (N = 172) were randomly exposed to one of two validated online profiles depicting a same-aged, high (unfavourable comparison) vs. low rank (favourable comparison) female student. Moderators were assessed at baseline. Social rank, anxiety, sadness and paranoia were assessed pre and post profile-exposure.
There was a large effect of the experimental manipulation on social rank (p < 0.001, η = 0.191). The manipulations had no effects on anxiety and paranoia (p > 0.38). Sadness was significantly altered (p = 0.016, η = 0.033). There were significant moderation effects between the experimental conditions and insecure striving (trend-level) as well as fears of rejection.
Our findings may be biased (overestimation of effects) as students are likely to be more competitive compared to the general population.
Our rank manipulations did not alter paranoia. This suggests that changes in the cognitive representation of social rank alone - without triggering a strong emotional response - do not suffice to evoke paranoia. Although our results do not support the notion that threats to social rank cause paranoid symptoms, they suggest that threats to social rank are more likely to trigger paranoid states in those who are insecure in regard to their social position.
社会地位低下与妄想症有关，但缺乏因果关系的证据。我们使用在线社会地位范式测试了社会比较对消极情绪和妄想症的影响，以及努力避免自卑或对社会排斥的恐惧是否会调节妄想反应。
女学生（N = 172）被随机暴露于两个经过验证的在线资料之一，这些资料描绘了同龄的高社会地位（不利比较）与低社会地位（有利比较）的女学生。在基线时评估调节因素。在接触资料前后评估社会地位、焦虑、悲伤和妄想症。
实验操纵对社会地位有很大影响（p < 0.001，η = 0.191）。操纵对焦虑和妄想症没有影响（p > 0.38）。悲伤有显著变化（p = 0.016，η = 0.033）。在实验条件与不安全的努力（趋势水平）以及对排斥的恐惧之间存在显著的调节作用。
我们的研究结果可能存在偏差（高估效应），因为与普通人群相比，学生可能更具竞争力。
我们对社会地位的操纵并未改变妄想症。这表明，仅社会地位认知表征的变化——而不引发强烈的情绪反应——不足以引发妄想症。虽然我们的结果不支持社会地位威胁导致妄想症状的观点，但它们表明，社会地位威胁更有可能在那些社会地位不安全的人身上引发妄想状态。
