5 - affiliation, acceptance and rejection Flashcards
what is affiliation?
the act of associating and interacting with one or more individuals
doesn’t indicate length or quality of interaction
driven by a need for involvement and belonging within social group
why do we affiliate with others according to the multidimensional model of affiliation
- positive stimulation
- emotional support
- social comparison
- receive attention
what are differences in our desire to affiliate?
- intrapersonal differences - social affiliation model
- interpersonal differences - biological and cultural differences
what are intrapersonal differences?
an individual’s desire to be with others can fluctuate over time and in different contexts
what are interpersonal differences?
some people have a stronger desire to affiliate than others
what is the social affiliation model?
people seek to maintain an optimal level of social contact
homeostasis principle: deviations from preferred level of social interaction - adjust behaviour to return to optimal degree of contact
episode of solitude - seek out opportunities for affiliation
high level of contact - withdraw and affiliate less
what are the explanations for interpersonal differences in affiliation?
- biological explanations - social interactions produce greater arousal of CNS in introverts than extroverts
- cultural explanations - the more individualistic a country was, the more its members desired affiliation
how are interpersonal relationships formed past affiliation?
evolved disposition to seek acceptance and avoid rejection
they fall on a continuum
how is acceptance and rejection subjective?
our subjective experience of acceptance and rejection is only loosely linked to the objective reality
high perceived relational value = perception of acceptance
low perceived relational value = feelings of rejection
how do we increase relational value and increase chances of acceptance?
- seeking approval and liking
- reciprocity
- physical appearance
- achievement and competence
how do we increase others’ approval and liking of us?
- seen as possessing social desirable traits (e.g. friendly)
- avoid being seen as possessing disliked traits (e.g. boring)
how does similarity effect how much we like others?
more likely to interact with people who are perceived to be similar
physical characteristics, attitudes and beliefs
we unconsciously promote our similarity to others
what is the norm of reciprocity?
people should repay what another person has provided them
how does reciprocity effect how much we like others?
we like people who like us back
not reciprocating - unsympathetic, inconsiderate, hesitant to develop close relationships
how does physical appearance effect liking?
physically attractive people are better liked and sought out as companions, friends, partners
judged more positively on personality traits, social skills, future prospects
Halo effect
what aspects of physical appearance matter?
- facial symmetry and unblemished skin
- preference for avergage face
however criteria differs across groups/cultures
are the assumptions of attractiveness correct?
no - meta-analysis found no relationship between physical attractiveness, intelligence, dominance, self-esteem and mental health
but attractive people were less socially anxious, more socially skilled and less lonely (self-fulfilling prophecy)
how does achievement and competence effect liking?
striving for competence and mastery increases chances of acceptance and belonging
competent and successful people have higher relational value, more likely to be sought out for groups and relationships
what are different types of rejection?
explicit:
- ostracism
- prejudice and discrimination
implicit:
- bullying
- criticism
- betrayal
- interpersonal favouritism
what is ostracism?
the experience of being excluded or ignored by other individual or group
how is ostracism studied in the lab?
- exclude participants from group discussion with confederates
- excluded during a computerised ball tossing game
- chosen last for a laboratory team
what is criticism?
not explicit rejection but conveys low relational value
target possess undesirable traits, undermining their relational value
what is betrayal?
indicated devaluation of the relationship between people
people do not engage in acts of rejection with people who are considered valuable
what is bullying?
target of bullying and malicious teasing - low relational value in eyes of bully
people don’t bully people whose relationship they value
what is interpersonal favouritism?
favouring another person who is regarded as equal or inferior
what are the consequences of rejection?
- four fundamental human needs
- hurt feelings
- loneliness
- state self-esteem
what is Williams’ model of ostracism?
rejection threatens four fundamental human needs
- belonging
- control
- self-esteem
- meaningful existence
what is self-esteem?
a person’s subjective appraisal of oneself as intrinsically positive or negative
what is state self-esteem?
how people evaluate themselves in the present moment
varies from time to time
what is trait self-esteem?
refers to general tendency
what are hurt feelings?
emotions most closely associated with rejection
perception of low relational value
what did Snapp & Leary find?
rejected participants had significantly more hurt feelings
rejected participants felt more hurt when the confederate barely knew them vs when they were more acquainted
why is loneliness self-perpetuating?
lonely people can:
- be less accepting of other people
- be less responsive to classmates during discussions
- provide less effective feedback to peers
- be less accurate at decoding others’ nonverbal expressions of emotions
what is loneliness?
Linked to the perception that one’s social network is inadequate and less satisfying
homesickness is a type of loneliness
not the same as being alone, but smaller social networks and fewer interaction = loneliness
quality of interactions of frequency and length
does the identity of the rejector matter?
no:
- rejection produces negative emotions regardless of identity
- rejection by despised groups still has negative effects
why does rejection hurt so much?
sociometer: system that monitors environment for cues indicating relational value
rejection alters the individual via negative affect and low self-esteem
