Showing papers in "Social Psychological and Personality Science in 2014"
TL;DR: The authors investigated participants' immediate behavioral response during exclusion and found that social exclusion results in lowered satisfaction of basic needs and shapes behavior in subsequent social situations, and that participants responded to social exclusion with increased anxiety and depression.
Abstract: Social exclusion results in lowered satisfaction of basic needs and shapes behavior in subsequent social situations. We investigated participants’ immediate behavioral response during exclusion fro...
166 citations
TL;DR: This paper found that adolescents' values, behaviors, and self-assessments would become more collectivistic and less individualistic during the Great Recession (2008-2010) compared to the prerecession period (2004-2006), thereby reversing long-term trends from the 1970s.
Abstract: Based on Greenfield’s theory of social change and human development, we predicted that adolescents’ values, behaviors, and self-assessments would become more collectivistic and less individualistic during the Great Recession (2008–2010) compared to the prerecession period (2004-2006), thereby reversing long-term trends from the 1970s. Data came from Monitoring the Future, a nationally representative yearly survey of 12th graders. Concern for others and environmentalism increased from the prerecession period to recession, reversing long-term declines. Long-term trends toward increasing materialism partially reversed: Wanting a job making lots of money continued to increase, the increase in the importance of money leveled off, and the increase in desiring to own expensive material items reversed. Long-term trends toward increasingly positive self-views continued. Correlations with economic indicators (median income, employment rate) over the entire time period (1976–2010) showed that collectivism was high a...
158 citations
Journal Article•
146 citations
TL;DR: The authors found that malleability beliefs regarding conflicts in general are associated with hope regarding the Israeli-Palestine conflict as well as with support for concessions for peace, and established causality using an experimental manipulation of beliefs about conflicts being malleable (vs. fixed).
Abstract: The importance of hope has long been asserted in the field of conflict resolution. However, little is actually known about either how to induce hope or what effects hope has on conciliatory attitudes. In the current research, we tested whether (1) hope is based upon beliefs regarding conflict malleability and (2) hope predicts support for concessions for peace. Study 1, a correlational study conducted among Israeli Jews, revealed that malleability beliefs regarding conflicts in general are associated with hope regarding the Israeli–Palestinian conflict as well as with support for concessions. In Study 2, we established causality using an experimental manipulation of beliefs regarding conflicts being malleable (vs. fixed). Findings have both theoretical and practical implications regarding inducing hope in intractable conflicts, thus promoting the attitudes so critical for peacemaking.
130 citations
TL;DR: The authors showed that the moral judgments of religious individuals and political conservatives are highly insensitive to consequentialist (i.e., outcome-based) considerations, and that these judgments are correlated with the number of suicides.
Abstract: Three studies demonstrated that the moral judgments of religious individuals and political conservatives are highly insensitive to consequentialist (i.e., outcome-based) considerations. In Study 1,...
115 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined the impact of sleep on relationship conflict, specifically testing whether poor sleep influences the degree, nature, and resolution of conflict resolution, and found that poor sleep affects the resolution of conflicts.
Abstract: This research examined the impact of a basic biological process—namely, sleep—on relationship conflict, specifically testing whether poor sleep influences the degree, nature, and resolution of conf...
111 citations
TL;DR: This paper found that people who had a social interaction with a barista (i.e., smiled, made eye contact, and had a brief conversation) experienced more positive affect than people who were as efficient as possible.
Abstract: When we buy our daily cup of coffee, sometimes we engage in a social interaction with the barista, and sometimes we are in a rush. Every day we have opportunities to transform potentially impersonal, instrumental exchanges into genuine social interactions, and the happiness literature suggests that we may reap benefits by doing so; in other words, treating a service provider like we would an acquaintance (i.e., weak tie) might make us happier. In the current study, people who had a social interaction with a barista (i.e., smiled, made eye contact, and had a brief conversation) experienced more positive affect than people who were as efficient as possible. Further, we found initial evidence that these effects were mediated by feelings of belonging. These results suggest that, although people are often reluctant to have a genuine social interaction with a stranger, they are happier when they treat a stranger like a weak tie.
101 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the relationship between self-and other-oriented processes by considering how gratitude can influence humility and vice versa and found that gratitude and humility are mutually reinforcing.
Abstract: In two experiments and one diary study, we examined the relationship between self- and other-oriented processes by considering how gratitude can influence humility and vice versa. Humility is characterized by low self-focus, secure sense of self, and increased valuation of others. Gratitude is marked by a sense that one has benefited from the actions of another. In the first experiment, participants who wrote a gratitude letter showed higher state humility than those who performed a neutral activity. In the second experiment, baseline state humility predicted the amount of gratitude felt after writing a gratitude letter compared to a neutral activity. Finally, in a 14-day diary study, humility and gratitude mutually predicted one another, even after controlling for the other’s prior level. Our results suggest that humility and gratitude are mutually reinforcing.
91 citations
TL;DR: The authors tested whether in-group members would be punished more harshly than outgroup members for transgressing group membership rules, and they found that in group membership has many privileges, members are expected to reciprocate those privileges.
Abstract: Although group membership has many privileges, members are expected to reciprocate those privileges We tested whether in-group members would be punished more harshly than out-group members for mar
91 citations
TL;DR: This paper found that sexual prejudice may arise from beliefs that certain sexual orientation groups direct unwanted sexual interest, with the implication that heterosexual men and women hold prejudices against different sexual orientations groups.
Abstract: Sexual prejudice may arise from beliefs that certain sexual orientation groups direct unwanted sexual interest, with the implication that heterosexual men and women hold prejudices against differen...
91 citations
TL;DR: This paper analyzed nearly 2 million text messages (tweets) across over 16,000 users on Twitter to examine differences between Christians and atheists in natural language and found that Christians use more positive emotion words and less negative emotion words than atheists.
Abstract: We analyze data from nearly 2 million text messages (tweets) across over 16,000 users on Twitter to examine differences between Christians and atheists in natural language. Analyses reveal that Christians use more positive emotion words and less negative emotion words than atheists. Moreover, two independent paths predict differences in expressions of happiness: frequency of words related to an intuitive (vs. analytic) thinking style and frequency of words related to social relationships. These findings provide the first evidence that the relationship between religion and happiness is partially mediated by thinking style. This research also provides support for previous laboratory studies and self-report data, suggesting that social connection partially mediates the relationship between religiosity and happiness. Implications for theory and the future of social science using computational methods to analyze social media are discussed.
TL;DR: The authors found that women perceived moral outrage and perceived less business sense in the decisions than men when reading decisions that compromised ethical values for social status and monetary gains, and that women implicitly associated business with immorality.
Abstract: Women select into business school at a lower rate than men and are underrepresented in high-ranking positions in business organizations. We examined gender differences in reactions to ethical compromises as one possible explanation for these disparities. In Study 1, when reading decisions that compromised ethical values for social status and monetary gains, women reported feeling more moral outrage and perceived less business sense in the decisions than men. In Study 2, we established a causal relationship between aversion to ethical compromises and disinterest in business careers by manipulating the presence of ethical compromises in job descriptions. As hypothesized, an interaction between gender and presence of ethical compromises emerged. Only when jobs involved making ethical compromises did women report less interest in the jobs than men. Women’s moral reservations mediated these effects. In Study 3, we found that women implicitly associated business with immorality more than men did.
TL;DR: For instance, the authors found that oxytocin increases prosocial behavior, but this effect was reversed among people with aggressive tenderers, who were more likely to commit intimate partner violence.
Abstract: Does oxytocin influence intimate partner violence (IPV)? Clues from prior research suggest that oxytocin increases prosocial behavior, but this effect is reversed among people with aggressive tende...
TL;DR: The authors examined the specific interpersonal processes that increase attachment security over time using data from 134 romantically committed couples in a longitudinal study and found that trust toward a partner is uniquely associated with lower attachment anxiety, whereas perceiving one's goal pursuits validated by a partner was uniquely associated to lower attachment avoidance.
Abstract: Attachment security has many salutary effects in adulthood, yet little is known about the specific interpersonal processes that increase attachment security over time. Using data from 134 romantically committed couples in a longitudinal study, we examined trust (whether a partner is perceived as available and dependable) and perceived goal validation (whether a partner is perceived as encouraging one’s personal goal pursuits). In concurrent analyses, trust toward a partner was uniquely associated with lower attachment anxiety, whereas perceiving one’s goal pursuits validated by a partner was uniquely associated with lower attachment avoidance. In longitudinal analyses, however, the inverse occurred: Trust toward a partner uniquely predicting reduced attachment avoidance over time and perceived goal validation uniquely predicting reduced attachment anxiety over time. These findings highlight distinct temporal paths for bolstering the security of attachment anxious versus attachment avoidant individuals.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore whether, how, and when corruption is related to subjective well-being using representative data from 150 nations and find that perceptions of national corruption are high across many nations.
Abstract: Both corruption and subjective well-being (SWB) are of concern to academics, governments, and policy makers. Although intuition suggests that corruption deteriorates SWB, some evidence suggests that corruption can enhance the economy, which may in turn improve SWB. We seek to explore whether, how, and when corruption is related to SWB using representative data from 150 nations. Surprisingly, we find that perceptions of national corruption are high across many nations. Mediation analyses and longitudinal modeling show some support that national corruption lowers national income and institutional trust, which in turn lowers SWB, particularly for life satisfaction. Moderators were found such that national corruption and individual perceptions of corruption enhance the effect of income for SWB; further, the detrimental effect of national corruption was more pronounced in Western as compared to non-Western nations. Overall, the results provide robust evidence that both individual and societal perceptions of co...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the phenomenon of interindividual rivalry and its consequences for motivation and task performance, and found that interindividual competition has a negative effect on motivation and performance.
Abstract: This article investigates the phenomenon of interindividual rivalry and its consequences for motivation and task performance Two studies of adults from the general population found that rivalry, a
TL;DR: In probability samples of Japanese and U.S. adults, subjective social status more strongly predicted life satisfaction, positive affect, sense of purpose, and self-acceptance in the United States than in Japan.
Abstract: Hierarchy can be conceptualized as objective social status (e.g., education level) or subjective social status (i.e., one's own judgment of one's status). Both forms predict well-being. This is the first investigation of the relative strength of these hierarchy- well-being relationships in the U.S. and Japan, cultural contexts with different normative ideas about how social status is under- stood and conferred. In probability samples of Japanese (N ¼ 1,027) and U.S. (N ¼ 1,805) adults, subjective social status more strongly predicted life satisfaction, positive affect, sense of purpose, and self-acceptance in the United States than in Japan. In con- trast, objective social status more strongly predicted life satisfaction, positive relations with others, and self-acceptance in Japan than in the United States. These differences reflect divergent cultural models of self. The emphasis on independence characteristic of the United States affords credence to one's own judgment (subjective status), and the interdependence characteristic of Japan gives weight to what others can observe (objective status).
TL;DR: This article examined how the typicality of gender cues in politicians' faces related to their electoral success, and found that greater gender-category competition predicted a decreased likelihood of votes, but only for female politicians.
Abstract: This research examined how the typicality of gender cues in politicians’ faces related to their electoral success. Previous research has shown that faces with subtle gender-atypical cues elicit cognitive competition between male and female categories, which perceivers resolve during face perception. To assess whether this competition adversely impacted politicians’ electoral success, participants categorized the gender of politicians’ faces in a hand-tracking paradigm. Gender-category competition was indexed by the hand’s attraction to the incorrect gender response. Greater gender-category competition predicted a decreased likelihood of votes, but only for female politicians. Time-course analyses revealed that this outcome was evident as early as 380 ms following face presentation (Study 1). Results were replicated with a national sample, and effects became more pronounced as the conservatism of the constituency increased (Study 2). Thus, gender categorization dynamics during the initial milliseconds afte...
TL;DR: This paper found that violent video games decreased self-control and increased cheating and aggression, especially for people high in moral disengagement, and they predicted that violent games would increase multiple immoral behaviors (i.e., lack of selfcontrol, cheating, aggression).
Abstract: Violent video games glorify and reward immoral behaviors (e.g., murder, assault, rape, robbery, arson, motor vehicle theft). Based on the moral disengagement theory, we predicted that violent games would increase multiple immoral behaviors (i.e., lack of self-control, cheating, aggression), especially for people high in moral disengagement. High school students (N ¼ 172) who had completed a measure of moral disengagement were randomly assigned to play one of the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) violent video games, or a nonviolent game. Self-control was measured using the weight of uneaten chocolates (i.e., M&M's) in a bowl by the computer. After gameplay, participants could cheat on a test to win raffle tickets for attractive prizes (e.g., iPad). Aggression was measured using a competitive task in which participants could give an ostensible partner unpleasant noise blasts through headphones. Results showed that violent video games decreased self-control and increased cheating and aggression, especially for people high in moral disengagement.
TL;DR: This article found that casual sex has become a normative experience among young people, raising concerns regarding its well-being consequences, and prior findings on main effects of casual sex on wellbeing are mixed.
Abstract: Casual sex has become a normative experience among young people, raising concerns regarding its well-being consequences. Prior findings on main effects of casual sex on well-being are mixed, sugges...
TL;DR: This paper found that higher social status is associated with better physical health outcomes, but these findings are by design correlational and lack mediational expla cation, and lack evidence of a causal relationship between social status and health outcomes.
Abstract: Epidemiological and animal studies often find that higher social status is associated with better physical health outcomes, but these findings are by design correlational and lack mediational expla...
TL;DR: This article examined how humorous responses to a tragedy change over time by measuring reactions to jokes about the tragedy and found that humor is a ubiquitous experience that facilitates coping, social coordination, and well-being.
Abstract: Humor is a ubiquitous experience that facilitates coping, social coordination, and well-being. We examine how humorous responses to a tragedy change over time by measuring reactions to jokes about ...
TL;DR: The authors found that participants viewed a harmless-but-offensive transgression to be a less immoral act than a harmful act, yet more indicative of poor moral character, and they were significantly less likely to become morally dumbfounded when asked to justify character judgments of persons who engaged in the harmful act.
Abstract: Negative gut reactions to harmless-but-offensive transgressions can be driven by inferences about the moral character of the agent more so than condemnation of the act itself. Dissociations between moral judgments of acts and persons emerged, such that participants viewed a harmless-but-offensive transgression to be a less immoral act than a harmful act, yet more indicative of poor moral character. Participants were more likely to become “morally dumbfounded” when asked to justify their judgments of a harmless-but-offensive act relative to a harmful act. However, they were significantly less likely to become morally dumbfounded when asked to justify character judgments of persons who engaged in the harmless-but-offensive transgression, an effect based in part on the information-rich nature of such behaviors. Distinguishing between evaluations of acts and persons helps account for both moral outrage over harmless transgressions and when individuals are (and are not) at a loss to explain their own judgments.
TL;DR: For instance, Perspective-taking is a psychological steering wheel that helps people to focus on the positive aspects of their goals as mentioned in this paper. But, these goals are often egocentrically focused.
Abstract: Power is a psychological accelerator, propelling people toward their goals; however, these goals are often egocentrically focused. Perspective-taking is a psychological steering wheel that helps pe...
TL;DR: This paper examined the effect of breadth and depth of foreign experiences on generalized trust and found that the breadth (number of countries traveled) but not the depth (amount of time spent in foreign countries) was more important than the number of countries visited.
Abstract: Five studies examined the effect of breadth and depth of foreign experiences on generalized trust. Study 1 found that the breadth (number of countries traveled) but not the depth (amount of time sp...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the idea that it is beneficial for people in threatening situations to affiliate with others who are experiencing similar, relative to dissimilar, emotions and find that interacting with someone who is emotionally similar would buffer individuals from this heightened stress.
Abstract: We examine the idea that it is beneficial for people in threatening situations to affiliate with others who are experiencing similar, relative to dissimilar, emotions. Pairs of participants waited together and then engaged in a laboratory stressor (i.e., giving a speech). We created an index of each pair’s emotional similarity using participants’ emotional states. We also measured how threatening participants perceived the speech task to be (i.e., whether they had high vs. low dispositional fear of public speaking). We hypothesized that perceiving greater threat in the situation would be associated with greater stress, but interacting with someone who is emotionally similar would buffer individuals from this heightened stress. Confirming our hypotheses, greater initial dyadic emotional similarity was associated with a reduced cortisol response and lower reported stress among participants who feared public speaking.
TL;DR: This paper examined the impact of anticipating poor economic conditions on financial risk taking and found that those who were reminded of their poor future economic prospects were more likely to take the opportunity to gamble with their money than those in the control condition.
Abstract: We examined the impact of anticipating poor economic conditions on financial risk taking. In Experiment 1, the salience of poor future economic prospects was manipulated among young adults. Those who were reminded of their poor future economic prospects were more likely to take the opportunity to gamble with their money than those in the control condition. In Experiment 2, we once again manipulated the salience of poor economic prospects. Extending the results of Experiment 1, participants who were reminded of their poor economic prospects bet more money on a spin of a roulette wheel than those in a control condition. Importantly, we show that the relationship between poor economic prospects and gambling is mediated by belief in the necessity of taking financial risks to make money. Implications of economic downturns for gambling and other forms of risk taking are discussed.
TL;DR: The authors found that the psychological approach individuals take when immersed in a general multicultural environment can predict subsequent career success, and that multicultural engagement predicted an increase in integrative com- plexity over the course of the 10-month program.
Abstract: A longitudinal study found that the psychological approach individuals take when immersed in a general multicultural environment can predict subsequent career success. Using a culturally diverse sample, we found that ''multicultural engagement''—the extent to which students adapted to and learned about new cultures—during a highly international 10-month master of business admin- istration (MBA) program predicted the number of job offers students received after the program, even when controlling for important personality/demographic variables. Furthermore, multicultural engagement predicted an increase in integrative com- plexity over the course of the 10-month program, and this increase in integrative complexity mediated the effect of multicultural engagement on job market success. This study demonstrates that even when individuals are exposed to the same multicultural environment, it is their psychological approach and engagement with different cultures that determines growth in integrative com- plexity and tangible increases in professional opportunities.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the impact of cameras on intervening in crime, and found that cameras became such a part of everyday life that their presence may escape from our conscious attention.
Abstract: Security cameras became such a part of everyday life that their presence may escape from our conscious attention. The present research examines the impact of cameras on intervening in crime, a situ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the impact of anchors' precision and extremity on the first-mover advantage of first-offers was investigated, and it was shown that increasing precision moderates the effect of anchor extremity, in that precise anchors gain in plausibility and thereby magnify the first mover advantage.
Abstract: In negotiations, higher first offers from sellers drive up sale prices—reversely, buyers benefit from lower first offers. Whereas abundant research has replicated this robust anchoring effect of opening offers, little is known about the impact of anchors’ precision or the interplay of extremity and precision. We propose that precision moderates the effect of anchor extremity, in that precise anchors gain in plausibility and thereby magnify the first-mover advantage. Two experiments tested this assumption. Study 1 shows that increasing precision strengthens the anchoring potency of first offers—sellers assimilate more to strong and precise anchors, which ultimately results in a particularly pronounced first-mover advantage. Study 2 replicates this moderating effect for buyers and indicates that an increased plausibility of precise anchors accounts for the findings. Implications for anchor theorizing, negotiation research, and the first minutes at a bargaining table are discussed.