Dimensions of perfectionism: A study exploring their relationship with perceived social rank and status

Research on perfectionism has found it to be a multidimensional construct consisting of self-oriented, other-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism. This study administered questionnaires to 113 undergraduate students in an attempt to examine perfectionism in relation to a number of social rank variables (social comparison, submissive behaviour, shame and defeat) and measures of psychopathology. Socially prescribed perfectionism was significantly correlated with negative evaluations of social comparison, submissive behaviour, shame and defeat. Socially prescribed perfectionism was also the only dimension to be significantly correlated with depression. Self-oriented perfectionism showed a small but significant correlation with social comparison, but none of the other social rank and status variables. The findings are discussed in relation to social rank theory.