This work presents a broad review of the history, theory, methods, and findings of research on social comparison (SC). It sequentially examines the evolution of understanding SC from the philosophical works of D. Hume and I. Kant to the first systematic theory by L. Festinger explaining the connection between comparison, self-esteem, and group processes, and further to contemporary models that interpret SC as a process with specific causal mechanisms and behavioral consequences. Special attention is paid to the conceptual relationship of SC with reference groups and social identity. Despite the dominance of an individualistic focus in contemporary models, SC was initially considered an integral part of group dynamics, structured through social norms and status differences between groups. The role of status and intergroup relations is analyzed in detail within the framework of social identity theories, demonstrating that SC simultaneously supports group cohesion and manifests differently under conditions of intergroup competition versus intragroup solidarity. A separate section of the article is devoted to the methodological diversity of SC research. Alongside classical experimental methods, attention is also given to the potential of network analysis for studying SC as a product of natural social interactions in offline and online environments, contemporary diary methods enabling detailed examination of the daily dynamics of comparison, and survey experiments that scale causal analysis to representative samples and cost-effective instruments. The work concludes with a brief overview of empirical results demonstrating the impact of SC on psychological well-being in social media, subjective perception of material status, conspicuous consumption, risk propensity, and prosocial practices, considering the contextual variability of these effects. Particular attention is drawn to SC in the moral sphere, where comparing oneself to others shapes moral judgments and moral self-evaluation. Such research is currently scarce, offering researchers an opportunity not only to fill an empirical gap but also to trace more deeply how comparative processes directly influence the reproduction of social order. Thus, the review reveals the potential for interdisciplinary expansion of SC research, opening new avenues for analyzing a wide range of social phenomena.

social comparison, interdisciplinary, social sciences, reference groups, social identity, SNA, social media, morality

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