Abstract
The aim of this research was to answer the question whether moral identity affects the relationship between one’s social identity and social comparison. Drawing from the concept of social identity theory, social cognitive theory and self-consistency theory, it was theorized that moral identity may positively affect the relationship between social identity and social comparison through the importance of group membership for individuals. Two studies were conducted (N = 267, N = 307) for this purpose. The results of the studies lend support to the hypothesized framework, explaining the complex relationship of the moral identity with social identity, and how seeing oneself as moral can fuel social comparison. Thus, the results highlight the boundary condition under which social comparisons will be increased or decreased. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article’s Community and Social Impact Statement.