Stress, affiliation, and emotional contagion

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Emotional Contagion
• Behavioral Mimicry

Background:

• Social comparison theory suggests individuals evaluate their own emotions and abilities by comparing themselves to others.
• Schachter's (1959) emotional similarity hypothesis posits that threat increases the desire for affiliation, particularly with those in similar circumstances.
• Understanding the interplay between threat, affiliation, and social comparison is crucial for comprehending group dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how perceived threat influences affiliation patterns in dyadic interactions.
• To examine the role of perceived situational similarity in mediating the effects of threat on affiliation.
• To explore the occurrence of behavioral mimicry and emotional contagion under conditions of threat.

Main Methods:

• Two studies were conducted involving female participants exposed to varying levels of threat.
• Participants were paired with either another actual participant or a confederate trained to display specific emotional reactions.
• Affiliation was measured by the duration of time spent looking at the interaction partner, while mimicry and contagion were assessed through behavioral observation and self-report.

Main Results:

• Threat significantly increased affiliation, with a stronger effect observed when participants believed their partner faced the same situation.
• Evidence of behavioral mimicry, specifically in facial expressions, was detected.
• Self-reported anxiety indicated emotional contagion, suggesting participants' emotions were influenced by their partner's perceived state.

Conclusions:

• Findings support Schachter's emotional similarity hypothesis, demonstrating that threat drives affiliation, especially with similar others.
• Behavioral mimicry and emotional contagion occur in response to threat, consistent with both primitive contagion and social comparison theories.
• The study highlights the complex social and psychological responses to threat within dyadic contexts.