DEGRADING SITUATIONS, AFFILIATION AND SOCIAL DEPENDENCY

Research is reported which shows that degrading situations (e,g. a fai lure on a test) increase affiliative propensity. Four studies demonstr ated that this affiliative tendency of degraded subjects is independen t of the potential partner's performance and independent of his/her ch aracteristics. The partners appeared to be equally attractive whether or not they witnessed subject's failure, and whether they were individ uals or a group. On the other hand, the affiliative desires of praised subjects seem to be oriented rather towards those who benefit from a similar situation. The motivation underlying affiliative behaviour is discussed with regard to social psychological literature. It is sugges ted that degraded subjects' affiliative behaviour arises from a search for support and that a socially degrading situation places the subjec t in a state of emotional dependency which is expressed by a non-direc tional affiliative tendency, and vulnerability to social influence. (C ) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.