Upward Social Comparisons: Angel or Devil ? On the Opposite Effects of Forced and Deliberate Comparisons in the Context of the BFLPE Dumas, Florence, Jean Moulin University, Aix-Marseille University, and CNRS, France Huguet Pascal, Aix-Marseille University, and CNRS, France Marsh, Herbert, University of Oxford, UK Régner, Isabelle, Aix-Marseille University, University of Toulouse, and CNRS, France Wheeler, Ladd : Marquarie University, Sydney Suls, Jerry: University of Iowa, US Seaton, Marjorie : Centre for Educational Research, University of Western, Sydney Nezlek, John : College of William and Mary, US Aim: It is generally assumed that forced upward comparisons with classmates play a causal role in the BFLPE. At the same time, studies on role models substantiate the importance of deliberate upward comparisons as sources of motivation with positive effects on self-efficacy feelings and achievement. The first aim of this research is to examine the respective effects of these two basic types of social comparisons on the BFLPE and academic performances. Our second objective is to explore the motivational dynamics (based on achievement goal theory) possibly associated with deliberate upward comparisons that had been largely overlooked in theory and research on the BFLPE. Method: A distinction is made between two types of social comparison: How students compare with most others around them under the pressure of the environment (forced comparison) and with whom they prefer to compare in this environment (deliberate comparison). Multilevel modeling analyses on French data were performed using HLM 6. Results: As expected from research on the BFLPE, social comparison with the entire class mediated this (contrast) effect, indicating that it is indeed based on forced upward comparisons. As expected from research focusing specifically on social comparison processes, our data also show that deliberate upward comparison—a common practice in class—is driven by a desire to learn, and has beneficial (assimilative) effects on both academic self-concept and performances. Conclusions: Beyond the relatively uncontrollable social comparisons underlying the BFLPE, students exercise considerable choice over the target with whom they compare themselves, mostly upward comparison targets with positive effects on self-perceived ability and behavior. As suggested by Wheeler et Suls (2005) : "Probably every social comparison creates both the pull of assimilation and the push of contrast. Which process predominates depends on the person's degree of freedom and flexibility to make strategic comparisons." The present findings also contribute to the debate about the practical implications of the BFLPE. Although this effect may lead to the conclusion that upward social comparisons should be discouraged, our data teach us that this conclusion does not apply to those in which students engage deliberately.