Social Psychology Exam 2: Reactance Theory

1) Subjective 2) Behavioral

What are the 2 manifestations/ consequences of reactance?

1) Proportion of freedoms threatened/elim 2) Implications of the loss of one freedom for the possible loss of another freedom/set of freedoms

What are the 2 sub-determinants of reactance theory?

1)Firmness with which freedom is established 2) Importance of threatened freedom 3) Magnitude of threat

What are the 3 things that determine reactance magnitude?

1) Magnitude of threat 2) Importance of Freedom 3) Reactance as a learned response

What 3 issues was the S. Brehm and Weintraub study designed to investigate?

1) Perceived freedom 2) Perceived threat

What are the 2 key process component of reactance?

1) Relates to decision making 2) Has stood test of time 3) Motivational 4) Does not assume that people are aware of motive 5) Assumes that reactance motive is fundamental, not acquired through learning

How is reactance theory similar to cognitive dissonance theory?

Thought

Reactance theory asserts that we want things we _____ we had or could have, but now view as threatened or eliminated

Behavioral

Manifesation of reactance Increased tendency to exercise the freedom

Subjective

Manifestation of reactance Increased desire to exercise the threatened freedom

Reactance

Motive activated when we perceive a threat to an established behavioral freedom. Motive oriented toward confirming or re-establishing the threatened freedom

Brehm and Sensenig Study

Study concerned with collaborative decision making. Participants taken to cubicle and led to believe there is another participant in another cubicle. "Other" participant was to make judgement and then pass that to the (real) participant via a note. Note would indicate either " I would choose option x" (freedom threat low)) or "We should choose option x" (freedom threat high)

Weiner and Brehm Study

Study designed to examine reactance outside of the lab - real world setting. Investigators first measured sales of a particular product during baseline week. Had an intervention week during which students handed out fliers with money to shoppers. Fliers said either " Today we would like you to try..." (freedom threat low) or "Today you will try..." (freedom threat high). Compared sales during interventions week to sales during base week.

Want

Reactance theory does NOT assert simply that we ______ things we can't have/told can't have

Brehm, Stires, Sensenig, and Shaban Study

Study that tested the proposition that reactance will occur only under conditions where a freedom has been established. Two session study: Session 1 - Participants told either a) they would be allowed to choose one of the 5 albums at end of session 2 or... b) that they would be assigned one of the 5 albums at end of session 2 Choice: established freedom to have any album creating condiions conducive to reactance, assignment did not. Session2 - Particpants asked to listen to same albums and then rate them. However, prior to leaving participants alone, experimenter noted that a particular album did not arrive in the album shipment this morning and, thus, would not be available.