5 - affiliation, acceptance and rejection

Question 1

what is affiliation?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

why do we affiliate with others according to the multidimensional model of affiliation

Answer 2

1. positive stimulation
2. emotional support
3. social comparison
4. receive attention

Question 3

what are differences in our desire to affiliate?

Answer 3

1. intrapersonal differences - social affiliation model
2. interpersonal differences - biological and cultural differences

Question 4

what are intrapersonal differences?

Answer 4

an individual’s desire to be with others can fluctuate over time and in different contexts

Question 5

what are interpersonal differences?

Answer 5

some people have a stronger desire to affiliate than others

Question 6

what is the social affiliation model?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

what are the explanations for interpersonal differences in affiliation?

Answer 7

1. biological explanations - social interactions produce greater arousal of CNS in introverts than extroverts
2. cultural explanations - the more individualistic a country was, the more its members desired affiliation

Question 8

how are interpersonal relationships formed past affiliation?

Answer 8

evolved disposition to seek acceptance and avoid rejection

they fall on a continuum

Question 9

how is acceptance and rejection subjective?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

how do we increase relational value and increase chances of acceptance?

Answer 10

• seeking approval and liking
• reciprocity
• physical appearance
• achievement and competence

Question 11

how do we increase others’ approval and liking of us?

Answer 11

• seen as possessing social desirable traits (e.g. friendly)
• avoid being seen as possessing disliked traits (e.g. boring)

Question 12

how does similarity effect how much we like others?

Answer 12

more likely to interact with people who are perceived to be similar

physical characteristics, attitudes and beliefs

we unconsciously promote our similarity to others

Question 13

what is the norm of reciprocity?

Answer 13

people should repay what another person has provided them

Question 14

how does reciprocity effect how much we like others?

Answer 14

we like people who like us back

not reciprocating - unsympathetic, inconsiderate, hesitant to develop close relationships

Question 15

how does physical appearance effect liking?

Answer 15

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

Question 16

what aspects of physical appearance matter?

Answer 16

• facial symmetry and unblemished skin
• preference for avergage face

however criteria differs across groups/cultures

Question 17

are the assumptions of attractiveness correct?

Answer 17

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)

Question 18

how does achievement and competence effect liking?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

what are different types of rejection?

Answer 19

explicit:
- ostracism
- prejudice and discrimination

implicit:
- bullying
- criticism
- betrayal
- interpersonal favouritism

Question 20

what is ostracism?

Answer 20

the experience of being excluded or ignored by other individual or group

Question 21

how is ostracism studied in the lab?

Answer 21

• exclude participants from group discussion with confederates
• excluded during a computerised ball tossing game
• chosen last for a laboratory team

Question 22

what is criticism?

Answer 22

not explicit rejection but conveys low relational value

target possess undesirable traits, undermining their relational value

Question 23

what is betrayal?

Answer 23

indicated devaluation of the relationship between people

people do not engage in acts of rejection with people who are considered valuable

Question 24

what is bullying?

Answer 24

target of bullying and malicious teasing - low relational value in eyes of bully

people don’t bully people whose relationship they value

Question 25

what is interpersonal favouritism?

Answer 25

favouring another person who is regarded as equal or inferior

Question 26

what are the consequences of rejection?

Answer 26

1. four fundamental human needs
2. hurt feelings
3. loneliness
4. state self-esteem

Question 27

what is Williams’ model of ostracism?

Answer 27

rejection threatens four fundamental human needs
- belonging
- control
- self-esteem
- meaningful existence

Question 28

what is self-esteem?

Answer 28

a person’s subjective appraisal of oneself as intrinsically positive or negative

Question 29

what is state self-esteem?

Answer 29

how people evaluate themselves in the present moment

varies from time to time

Question 30

what is trait self-esteem?

Answer 30

refers to general tendency

Question 31

what are hurt feelings?

Answer 31

emotions most closely associated with rejection

perception of low relational value

Question 32

what did Snapp & Leary find?

Answer 32

rejected participants had significantly more hurt feelings

rejected participants felt more hurt when the confederate barely knew them vs when they were more acquainted

Question 33

why is loneliness self-perpetuating?

Answer 33

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

Question 33

what is loneliness?

Answer 33

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

Question 34

does the identity of the rejector matter?

Answer 34

no:
- rejection produces negative emotions regardless of identity
- rejection by despised groups still has negative effects

Question 35

why does rejection hurt so much?

Answer 35

sociometer: system that monitors environment for cues indicating relational value

rejection alters the individual via negative affect and low self-esteem