SOCIAL-COMPARISON AND AFFILIATION UNDER THREAT - GOING BEYOND THE AFFILIATE-CHOICE PARADIGM

This study examined the emotional similarity hypothesis-a derivation f rom social comparison theory, which predicts that increasing fear shou ld lead to greater affiliation with someone who is awaiting the same t hreat (and who therefore is of relatively similar emotional status) re lative to someone who has already experienced the threat (and who ther efore is of relatively dissimilar emotional status). The results faile d to support the emotional similarity hypothesis and in so doing chall enged the importance of emotional comparison as a determinant of verba l affiliation under threat. Cognitive clarity concerns instead seemed to account better for the observed effects on verbal affiliation. Supp lementary analyses of nonverbal affiliation (facial glances) likewise ran counter to an emotional similarity prediction. Effects of affiliat ion on anxiety were also examined. Previous conclusions regarding the pattern and causes of affiliation under threat that have relied on the affiliate-choice paradigm are considered.