The ________ theory suggests that we often learn about ourselves by comparing our performance with that of other people.

A) dissonance
B) attribution
C) social comparison
D) conformity

The social comparison theory suggests that we evaluate our abilities, beliefs, and attitudes by comparing ourselves to others. By doing so, we can accurately assess where we stand in relation to our peers and gain more insight into ourselves. The other answer choices (dissonance, attribution, conformity) are all valid psychological theories, but they do not specifically address the idea of comparing oneself to others for self-evaluation purposes.