What Is Psychological Reactance In Psychology?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Psychological reactance is “ the motivational state that is hypothesized to occur when a freedom is eliminated or threatened with elimination” (Brehm and Brehm, 1981, p. 37).

What is reactance psychology example?

Reactance sometimes occurs when a person makes a choice that cuts off other choices . For example, Charlie gets a certain amount of lunch money every day at school and can choose what he wants, but he can’t have it all.

What is psychological reactance quizlet?

The theory of psychological reactance predicts that when an individual’s perceived freedom is threatened by a proscribed attitude or behavior , the individual will experience a motivating pressure toward conforming with the position advocated in the proscriptive message.

How can we reduce psychological reactance?

Having a feeling of choice can reduce the sense that our freedoms are being taken away from us. Combine autonomy with certainty (above) by communicating the certitude of inevitable action while seeking out other areas where you can give back control. Being playful with your language has been shown to reduce reactance.

Who created the psychological reactance theory?

In 1966, psychologist Jack Brehm introduced his theory of reactance. He stated that people react strongly when freedom is being threatened. The term perceived freedom refers to the belief of the existence of freedom, like my belief that we could play with whatever ball we wanted.

What is an example of reactance?

Psychological reactance is “an unpleasant motivational arousal that emerges when people experience a threat to or loss of their free behaviors.” An example of such behavior can be observed when an individual engages in a prohibited activity in order to deliberately taunt the authority who prohibits it, regardless of ...

What causes reactance?

Inductive reactance is caused by devices in which wire is wound circularly — such as coils (including line reactors), chokes, and transformers. Reactance that occurs in a capacitor is known as capacitive reactance.

What is reactance in social psychology?

Reactance is an unpleasant motivational arousal that emerges when people experience a threat to or loss of their free behaviors . It serves as a motivator to restore one’s freedom. The amount of reactance depends on the importance of the threatened freedom and the perceived magnitude of the threat.

When group members perceive that they are valued?

Group members perceive that they are valued, supported and are treated well . Group members do not feel valued, supported, and respected; trust is minimal; and members perceive that they are not treated well. A mutually exclusive goal attainment process (MEGA). A mutually inclusive goal attainment process (MIGA).

Which statement is accurate about eyewitness testimony?

What is the most accurate statement about eyewitness testimony? Witnesses who are “absolutely certain” in their identification are no more likely to be accurate than those who are only “fairly sure.”

What is psychological threat?

We define the experience of psychological threat as an uncomfortable and aversive state that results from an actual or perceived discrepancy between one’s current state and an end state (Kim and Rucker, 2012, Lazarus and Folkman, 1984).

What is obedience psychology?

Obedience is a form of social influence that involves performing an action under the orders of an authority figure . It differs from compliance (which involves changing your behavior at the request of another person) and conformity (which involves altering your behavior in order to go along with the rest of the group).

How does reactance influence message persuasiveness?

In the context of persuasive messaging, research shows that individuals exhibiting high trait reactance experience greater freedom threats , and therefore are more resistant to persuasive attempts (Quick and Stephenson, 2008; Quick et al., 2011; LaVoie et al., 2017).

What is Brehm’s theory of reactance?

Reactance theory is a social psychological theory developed by Jack Brehm (Brehm 1966, 1972; Brehm, Stires, Sensenig and Shaban 1966; Hammock and Brehm 1966). ... According to the theory, when an individual’s freedom to engage in a specific behavior is threatened. the threatened behavior becomes more attractive.

What is informational influence in psychology?

Informational influence is conformity under acceptance of evidence about reality which has been provided by others (Myers, 2009).

What does compliance mean in psychology?

In psychology, compliance refers to changing one’s behavior due to the request or direction of another person . 1 Unlike obedience, in which the other individual is in a position of authority, compliance does not rely upon being in a position of power or authority over others.

James Park
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James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.