Which term describes the process of evaluating one's abilities in comparison to others?

The term that describes the process of evaluating one's abilities in comparison to others is social comparison. This concept, introduced by social psychologist Leon Festinger in the 1950s, highlights how individuals determine their personal value and abilities by comparing themselves to others. Through this process, people can gain insights into their own skills, opinions, and attributes by assessing their position in relation to others.

Social comparison can help individuals gauge their performance and self-esteem, as they look to others as benchmarks or standards. This phenomenon can be upward (comparing to someone perceived as better) or downward (comparing to someone perceived as worse), each having different psychological effects.

Self-assessment focuses more on an individual’s personal evaluation without the direct comparison to others. Reference group analysis involves examining the groups to which individuals belong or aspire to belong but may not specifically target the act of comparison itself. Peer evaluation generally refers to the assessment process among equals, often in structured settings like classrooms or workplaces, rather than a broader evaluative comparison across different individuals. Thus, the most accurate term for evaluating abilities relative to others is social comparison.