Home
Psychological tests
Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM)

Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) Test

Understand how much you compare yourself to others in skills and opinions in about 3 minutes. A quick 11 item measure that supports counseling, research, and insights into social influence.

Start Online Test

Questions: 113 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

26988 views

3174 completions

2783 likes

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

3/5

Opinion Comparison Orientation (OCO)

Measures how strongly a person tends to compare their opinions with others’ views when forming or evaluating their own standpoint.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2.3: Low | 2.4 – 3.6: Moderate | 3.7 – 5: High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate tendency to reference others’ opinions, using them sometimes but not relying on them consistently for self-evaluation.

example score

3/5

Ability Comparison Orientation (ACO)

Measures how strongly a person tends to compare their abilities and achievements with those of others.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2.3: Low | 2.4 – 3.6: Moderate | 3.7 – 5: High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate tendency to compare your abilities with other people in everyday situations.

example score

3/5

Overall INCOM Score (OIS)

Measures how strongly a person tends to evaluate themselves by comparing their abilities and opinions to those of others.

Low orientation

Moderate orientation

High orientation

1 – 2.3: Low orientation | 2.4 – 3.6: Moderate orientation | 3.7 – 5: High orientation

A score of 3 falls in the Moderate orientation range, suggesting a balanced tendency to use social comparisons for self-evaluation without relying on them constantly.

Start Online Test

just completed the test

DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Self-doubt and reassurance seekers

41%OF USERS

People who often measure their abilities against others and look for signs that they are doing “well enough.”

Social media comparison prone

34%OF USERS

Those who frequently compare lifestyle, appearance, or achievements and notice it affects their mood and confidence.

Psychologists and researchers

25%OF USERS

Specialists who need a quick, reliable way to assess social comparison tendencies in clients or study participants.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

What You’ll See After You Finish the Test

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale, translated into plain, usable insights. Not just numbers, but what they actually mean for your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

A structured, clinically grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation — without alarmist language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how you compare to others. Your scores are placed in a statistical context, showing percentiles and trends based on anonymized platform data to help you understand what`s typical.

Practical
Recommendations

Actionable guidance tailored to your profile. Receive clear, realistic suggestions you can apply immediately — focused on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Detected
Insights

Key patterns you might not notice on your own. Surfacing subtle connections in your responses that help you better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Psychologist

Clarify, reflect, and explore right away. Talk through your outcomes, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue environment.

Start Online Test

Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you finish the test, your results will be compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of the benchmarks we use to place your score in context.

Orientation toward comparing opinions (Otco)

Average

Normal range

2.4 — 3.6

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Focus on Comparing Abilities (FoCA)

Average

3.7

Normal range

3.1 — 4.4

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Overall INCOM score (OIs)

Average

3.5

Normal range

2.8 — 4.2

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Start Online Test

Featured On

Rated 4.8/5 by Our Customers

“Freudly really helped me discover parts of my personality I hadn’t noticed before. It strengthened the areas where I needed to grow and made me feel more grounded and confident in the parts that already worked well.”

— Emma C., US

“I wanted to understand how serious my ADHD is, and now I finally do. I also realized I need to work on my self-esteem. It has been low for a long time, and that makes daily life harder than it should be.”

— Mateo R., CA

“Reading each question felt like someone really understood me. Even though I’ve already dealt with much of this, reflecting still helped me learn something new about myself.”

— Caroline F., US

“The process is simple. The test covers everything you need, and you’ll get a clear breakdown of your results. For just a few dollars, it’s a great value.”

— Klara N., CZ

“I kept thinking there might be a small chance, but now I know for sure. The questions were easy to understand, and the whole process was straightforward.”

— Bruno M., BR

“I really enjoyed this experience. I learned a lot, and it helped me make sense of my thoughts and the feeling I’ve had for a long time that I may have grown up with undiagnosed ADHD.”

— Alice B., FR

“Great platform — the insights were genuinely meaningful!”

— Daniel W., DE

“Everything was easy to follow. The tools you get at the end are genuinely helpful for self-growth, and the price is very reasonable. I really appreciate that.”

— Sofia M., ES

“Surprisingly accurate — honestly didn’t expect it to nail things so well.”

— Adir B., IL

“There are lots of different tests to pick from, and the price is surprisingly low for how much insight you get.”

— Olivia W., CA

“I was pleasantly surprised when I read the results. It was as if someone had sorted out my messy thoughts and given me useful tips to help me speak with more confidence.”

— Grace O., IE

“It was really solid, very detailed, and it actually helped me make sense of a lot of things.”

— Carla T., TT

“I was really impressed with the report. It was clear, thoughtful, and it reflected things I’ve been noticing about myself.”

— Jade H., US

“The questions made me think deeply and helped me become more self-aware.”

— Brooke S., US

“Reading through most of the questions made me feel understood. Although I’ve already worked through some of these issues, the questions still gave me useful insights and helped me learn more about myself.”

— Ryan M., US

“I usually take one or two tests each month, and this has become a good way for me to see how I’m doing.”

— Lucas W., US

“Most of the time, my results are in the 90 to 98th percentile compared to others. It really makes me feel like there’s something unique about me.”

— Ethan C., US

“I tried out some of the AI’s suggestions, and to be honest, they worked much better than I thought they would. Maybe this thing really is smarter than me.”

— Reece D., AU

Trusted by 22k+ Users Worldwide

CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Any questions left?

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures how often a person uses other people as a reference point when evaluating abilities, opinions, and feelings. Scores reflect a general tendency to engage in social comparison.

What areas are assessed by the items?

Items cover two domains: comparison of abilities and reliance on others to form opinions and emotional reactions. Together they describe a person’s typical comparison strategy.

How should the statements be rated?

Each statement should be rated based on usual behavior, not on one specific event. Responses should reflect the first, most typical impression.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

Completion time is approximately three minutes. The questionnaire contains 11 statements.

How should results be interpreted and used?

Higher scores indicate more frequent and more salient social comparison in everyday life. Results are used for screening and research and should be interpreted alongside other information rather than as a standalone diagnosis.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) Test

social comparisons

Social comparison processes can shape how individuals appraise themselves and calibrate behavior in interpersonal contexts. The Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) is a brief self-report instrument designed to assess an individual’s general tendency to engage in social comparison. It includes content reflecting comparison of abilities and comparison of opinions.

The measure consists of 11 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. Respondents rate brief statements, and results are interpreted as an index of comparison orientation that may be relevant to understanding sensitivity to social influence and evaluative self-focus.

Developed by Thomas Mussweiler, the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) is commonly used in research and may be incorporated into clinical or applied assessments when social comparison tendencies are a focus.

Author: jerry-suls, Thomas Mussweiler

Literature: Festinger, L. A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations. 1954.; Gibbons, F. X., & Buunk, B. P. Individual differences in social comparison: Development of a scale of social comparison orientation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1999.

Test Question Form