KITCHEL, from pg. 27
teaching methods. Seeing clear examples of exciting music programs can challenge experienced teachers to re-create their classrooms in the image of other (more) successful models and help younger teachers set attainable future goals.
Disadvantages of Social Comparison
There can be many positive effects when using social comparison, but there are downsides as well. It is true that upward comparisons can have the positive effect of inspiration, but it can also create a negative self- concept and a sense of inferiority if the teacher doing the upward comparison does not feel like it is possible to achieve what others are doing (Dijkstra, et al. 2008) or begins to identify with teachers that are perceived to be doing worse (Carmona, Buunk, Peiró, Rodríquez, & Bravo, 2006). This kind of social comparison is called downward identification, and it can have very negative effects. Authors of one study reported that teachers who engaged in downward identification with colleagues showed signs of career burnout (Carmona, et al. 2006). In another study, agriculture teachers (Kitchel, et al. 2012) that used downward identification were found to be less satisfied with their jobs and also showed symptoms of burnout.
In fact, the more frequent the downward comparisons, the worse the emotional effect. Frequent social comparisons in police officers not only predicted negative job satisfaction, but was also linked to destructive emotions and behaviors like
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guilt, envy, defensiveness, regret, having unmet cravings, and lying to protect oneself and others (White, Langer, Yariv, & Welch, 2006). These negative effects were not only present for teachers and police officers, but also for artists. When asked to create a drawing, artists that used social comparisons to evaluate their work felt worse about their final product than artists who did not use any social comparison (Langer, Delizonna, & Pirson, 2010).
As mentioned previously, conferences and district meetings are a good place to find inspiration, but they can also become minefields for downward identification. Seeing music programs that have high- quality resources and support can make teachers in more difficult situations engage in downward identification and want to give up instead of becoming inspired. For example, if the teacher of a small program uses social comparison to measure his own small ensemble sound to a much larger ensemble, the teacher might feel like there is no possibility of ever achieving similar technique. The teacher would then engage in downward identification and a sense of inferiority would begin to take place.
External rewards must also be given with care in the music profession. Clear markers of success such as trophies, badges, ratings, or performance scores encourage comparison. This can lead to competition between teachers, which has been shown to harm motivation over a long term period (Hanus & Fox, 2015). Understanding the negative aspects of social comparison is important for teachers, as it can
lead to poor emotional outcomes.
Implications and Suggestions for the Music Profession
Social comparison is used for multiple reasons; among them are the need for self- evaluation, self-enhancement, and self-improvement (Dikstra, et al. 2008), things that teachers frequently work for. Armed with this information, music teachers should find ways to make the positive effects of upward comparison work in their favor. If social comparisons occur when teachers meet professionally, then educators should make sure to connect with other teachers during meetings and conferences. Listening to ensembles that provide achievable sound models and literature might also be a source of inspiration. Positive effects take place when teachers use upward comparison to others they feel they can emulate or to ensembles that are similar to their own, so teachers should choose their mentors and sound models carefully by comparing themselves to others that have similar musical goals.
Teachers should also be very careful to avoid downward identification behaviors. Using frequent social comparisons can lead to feelings of inferiority or burnout, so younger teachers that are comparing themselves to established programs and successful experienced teachers might begin to feel discouraged and defeated instead of motivated. This could be a factor in what makes music teachers leave their current jobs, or the teaching profession altogether.
See KITCHEL, pg. 72 MISSOURI SCHOOL MUSIC | Volume 71, Number 2
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