Dysphoria, schema subtype, and social comparison in female undergraduates

This study investigated the influence of persons' mood, personality, and selective attention to others' performance on their subsequent self-evaluations. College students were categorized according to dysphoria level and schema type. Subjects took both an "interpersonal abilities" test and an "academic abilities" test. Standardized bogus feedback for both tests was given to subjects. Subjects were presented with other previous bogus "participants' thinspace" interpersonal and academic scores. As hypothesized, nondysphoric subjects exhibited positive self-evaluations relative to those of dysphoric subjects. However, contrary to predictions, the interaction of dysphoria level, schema type, and test type did not determine attention to social comparison information or self-evaluations. Results are discussed in terms of cognitive theories of depression.Chairman: Tony Ahrens.