People compare themselves with other people. It’s human nature.

Today we’re speaking with Professor Jing Xu about how these comparisons with others impact people’s subsequent purchasing decisions. 

Our conversation explores the different feelings elicited by upward and downward comparisons, the mechanisms that drive these feelings, the subsequent impact of these comparisons and the factors that modify these outcomes.

Topics include:

• The difference between competence and warmth-oriented products.
• The two fundamental needs that are activated when people compare themselves to others.
• How a brand might operationalize this insight into human behavior.