Social comparison framing: Examining the effects of racial health disparities risk information

News about health disparities often compares and contrasts health risks faced by different demographic groups. Does this social comparison affect risk perception? This set of three online survey experiments were primarily designed to test whether social comparison frames – frames in the media that compare groups – have distinct effects on risk perception, even when objective numerical risk information is held constant. A contrast effect was hypothesized – when two racial groups are compared, the relatively more at-risk group would be seen as even more at-risk and the relatively less at-risk group would be judged to be even less at risk than if the same risk information had been presented without the comparative reference group. In Study One, Black and White females (age 18-19) were randomly assigned to view a television clip that focused on risk for sexually transmitted infections in teen girls age 14-19. The stimuli had been selectively edited to provide: no racial risk information; a Black racial statistic or a White racial statistic presented without the parallel comparative statistic from the other racial group; or a social comparison frame that contrasted racial risk by presenting both statistics. The contrast hypothesis was partially supported; the less at-risk group was seen as even less at-risk when the same objective risk was presented in the context of a more at risk group. In line with the impersonal impact hypothesis and the optimistic bias literature, framing tended to influence perceived risk for others more than personal risk perceptions. Although mentioning Black risk affected perceptions of group risk and presumed media effects, there was not strong evidence that the framing affected behavioral intentions or policy support. Study Two consisted of two experiments in which Black and White adults were randomly assigned to read different versions of a newspaper article on risk for melanoma. The second study confirmed that the social comparison framing had a distinct effect and lowered perceived risk for the less at-risk group, even when the statistical risk was objectively the same. This held true for both Black disparities and White disparities. Implications for health communication are discussed.