Study 3 replicated the findings of the first study that cognitive downward comparison positively affects the self-report measures of satisfaction and commitment. In line with this main effect of cognitive set, downward comparison also led to an improvement in the additional measure of perceived quality of the relationship. Moreover, controlling for positivity of qualities listed in the thought-listing task failed to eliminate the findings, thus ruling out the possible alternative line of reasoning that the differential valence of the qualities listed in both experimental conditions might account for the obtained effects. Additionally, participants in the downward comparison condition also showed lower response latencies to the satisfaction questionnaire than those in the no-comparison conditions, thus reflecting a more accessible and favorable evaluation of the relationship in the former condition.

Somewhat unexpectedly, whereas in Study 1 type of cognitive set yielded effects on the response latencies of both indexes of satisfaction and commitment, the experimental manipulations in this third study did not influence the accessibility of the feelings of commitment to the relationship. Notwithstanding this observation, Study 3 provides evidence that cognitive downward comparison positively affects both the self-report measures of perceived relationship quality and led to lower response latencies on the index of satisfaction, thus underlining the higher level of satisfaction in the downward comparison condition as compared to the no-downward comparison condition.

Moreover, the results of Study 3 replicate and extend the findings of Study 2 to a sample of undergraduate students. In both studies, actively engaging in cognitive downward comparison positively affected indices of relationship quality especially when participants reported discontent about their relationship, and this effect of downward comparison was more pronounced for individuals high in social comparison orientation.