The Need To Belong

Question 0

We are social animals what is an advantage of this

Answer 0

This has been evolutionary advantageous

Question 1

Define the need to belong

Answer 1

A motivation to bond with others in relationships that provide ongoing, positive interactions (Meyers and Spencer)

Question 2

Human beings are driven by a desire to form and maintain relationships

Answer 2

We form attachments readily

We resist dissolutions of bonds

Question 3

What important consequences are there if the need to belong is not met ?

Answer 3

Influences social relationships, health and well being

Question 4

What are Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Answer 4

• self actualisation (morality, problem solving)
• esteem (respect for others, confidence)
• love and belonging (sexual, friendships)
• safety (security of body, employment of resources)
• physiological ( breathing, sex, sleep)

Question 5

What did Warren Jones say

Answer 5

In the two decades of studying loneliness, I have met many people who say they have no friends. I have never met anyone who didn’t want to have friends

Question 6

What are the individual differences in the need to belong

Answer 6

Those with a high need to belong are more likely to engage in establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships and tend to be more interpersonally skilled

Question 7

Full deprivation of interpersonal contact is extremely stressful. Name two key examples which emphasise this

Answer 7

Prisoners in solitary confinement at San quetinin prison fulfilled their need for social contact by communicating via toilets.

Official cuddle parties, first documented in America are becoming popular for those who feel isolated.

Question 8

What do initiation ceremonies demonstrate

Answer 8

The extent people will go to in order to fit in and be part of a group

Question 9

State 4 reactions to signs of acceptance

Answer 9

Pride
Joy and happiness
Higher self esteem
Self confidence

Question 10

What are the positive consequences of belonging (health)

Answer 10

Physical health, lower incidences of heart attacks,strokes, cancers
Mental health, reduced stress, anxiety and depression
Higher level of well being

Question 11

What were the findings of the Charleston heart study

Answer 11

Separated and divorced participants at the start of the study had higher mortality rates and died at an earlier average age than other groups

Question 12

Harlow’s monkeys were separated from mothers up to 12 hours after birth and put to isolated cages. They had surrogate mothers made of wire or wood covered with soft terry cloth. What were the findings from this study

Answer 12

Even when the wire mother was the source of food the infant monkey spent greater amount of time clinging to the cloth surrogate. Monkeys were then completely isolated in the well of despair.

The terry cloth mothers were necessary for healthy development but not sufficient for normal development

Question 13

When Harlow’s monkeys returned to society what was the outcome

Answer 13

Harlow’s monkeys became indifferent or abusive to other monkeys unable to form relations with them and to mate

Question 14

What did Goldfarb find about the negative consequences of being lonely ?

Answer 14

Social isolation of institutionalised children lead to poorer intelligence and social maturity compared with children who were fostered

Question 15

What did Spitz 1945 find about the negative consequences of being lonely

Answer 15

Children raised in South American orphanages suffered depression and apathy

Question 16

What did Bowlby find about the negative consequences of being lonely

Answer 16

Maternal deprivation can be irreversible long term consequences include depression,aggressiveness, delinquency and intellectual retardation.

Question 17

What are the negative consequences of being lonely. List emotions

Answer 17

Sadness, hurt feelings, anxiety, loneliness, jealousy, anger, shame and embarrassment

Question 18

What are the negative consequences of being lonely on physical well being

Answer 18

Greater stress
Poor quality sleep
Decreased cognitive function 
Decreased immunity 
Die sooner 
Greater incidence of fatal heart attacks, tuberculosis, cancer

Question 19

What are the negative consequences of being lonely on psychological well being

Answer 19

Diminished mental well being
Depression
Social anxiety
Suicide

Question 20

What is a negative consequence of being lonely on an individual’s behaviour

Answer 20

Act aggressively and more likely to commit crime

Question 21

Why do relationships with others lead to better psychological and physical health outcomes?

Answer 21

The role of social support…
Close relationships involve greater intimacy and opportunities for self-disclosure and sharing of feelings and fears

Close others could encourage each other to seek medical help if a potential problem is found

Close others may encourage greater compliance with medical treatment

The experience of being with someone in a steady relationship might reduce contact with some potential hazards such as STD

Question 22

Define the term ostracism

Answer 22

The act of individuals or groups excluding or ignoring other groups or individuals

Question 23

What are the different research paradigms used to investigate ostracism

Answer 23

Experimental 
Conversation
Ball tossing 
Role play
Qualitative 
Narratives 
Interviews

Question 24

What does ostracism threaten?

Answer 24

Belongingness
Self esteem
Control
Meaningful existence

Question 25

What are people’s reactions to being ostracised

Answer 25

Negative emotions and lowered self esteem
Emotional pain
Efforts to restore the relations withdrawal

Question 26

SUMMARY

Answer 26

We all have a need to belong although there are individual differences
Our need to belong can lead us to engage in risky behaviours
Fulfilling our need to belong is associated with positive emotions and positive effects on physical and psychological well being
Not fulfilling our need to belong is very distressing and is associated with negative emotions and negative effects on physical and psychological well being as well as aggression and crime