A focal individual’s self-regulation and goal pursuit are influenced by social dynamics the individual embedded in. However, prior studies have substantially depicted self-regulation as a within-individual process, and thus knowledge on interpersonal influence on self-regulation remains limited. In this article, I take a theoretical lens of social comparison and develop a systematic account explaining how comparison between a focal individual and a compared target influences the focal individual’s goal setting, goal monitoring, and regulation exertion, respectively. I analyse the theory in dyad context such that two individuals pursue a same goal but have different levels of progress, i.e., one is superior and the other is inferior. In the developed theory, I articulate how upward and downward comparisons occurred in the dyad elicit assimilation and/or contrast effects, and how these comparison-elicited effects influence a focal individual’s self-regulation. Moreover, I theorize the moderating roles of the similarity between two comparison parties and the time one has been working on a goal. The moderators leverage the relative strength of assimilation and contrast effects, and ultimately the influence of interpersonal comparison on self-regulation. Theoretical contributions and future research directions have been discussed.

Keywords: self-regulation, goal pursuit, social comparison, interpersonal interactions