Byron hears that his friend, Tim, got a 77 on his last health science test; Byron got a 91 on the same exam. Byron thinks, "I'm better at this health science material than Tim." Byron is engaging in

a) academic comparison.

b) peer appraisal.

c) hierarchy construction.

d) social comparison.

The answer is d. social comparison.

Explanation:

This concept explains that a person might determine his social worth by comparing himself to others. This might improve or worsen the person's self-esteem and motivation; however, research has shown that the effects of social comparison are mostly negative.

Although it's common that people compare themselves to a person with similar characteristics, the prevalence of mass media has led to comparisons to celebrities, which may cause feelings of stress and inferiority.