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Defensiveness in response to aid from a sibling
1Arizona State University, Tempe 85287.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|March 1, 1992
Summary
Sibling relationship quality and self-esteem significantly influence defensive reactions to receiving aid. Conflict and dominance increase defensiveness, while support from older, female siblings reduces it.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Relationship Science
Background:
- Defensive reactions can impede the benefits of social support in close relationships.
- Understanding factors influencing defensiveness is crucial for effective support provision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate components of defensiveness to aid within sibling relationships.
- To identify predictors of defensive reactions to support among young adults.
Main Methods:
- Young adult siblings self-reported on self-esteem, relationship quality, and defensiveness components.
- Statistical analyses examined the variance in defensiveness explained by various factors.
Main Results:
- Sibling conflict, dominance, low global self-esteem, and low entitlement predicted higher defensiveness.
- Higher self-esteem in sibling comparison and aid from older/female siblings correlated with lower defensiveness.
- 52% of the variance in defensiveness was explained by these factors.
Conclusions:
- Defensiveness to aid is multi-determined, influenced by individual self-perceptions and relationship dynamics.
- Specific characteristics of the support provider (e.g., older, female sibling) can mitigate recipient defensiveness.
- Findings inform theories on social support, close relationships, and aid reception.