Barbara just received a b on her test. she learns that one of her friends got an a on the same test, and another friend got a

c. later that night, barbara tells her roommate that she did "really well" relative to other people in the class. according to social comparison theory, barbara appears to have engaged in

Barbara appears to have engaged in downward comparison.

The social comparison theory was developed by social psychologist Leon Festinger. In this theory, it appears that people have an innate drive to evaluate themselves, often in comparison to others. We sometimes compare ourselves to others as a way of fostering self-improvement and Barbara clearly demonstrated the meaning of social comparison theory

The answer is:

downward comparison

between cola and acid rain