Psychological Reactance Overview-Steindl
#notesFromPaper Year : Tags : psychological reactance Authors: Steindl Jonas Sittenthaler Traut-Mattausch Greenberg
During reactance, people may act hostile towards the threat, “upgrade” their view of the restricted freedom, or “downgrade” the imposed option.
Hong Psychological Reactance Scale and Salzburger State Reactance Scale
Physiological measurements might also be relevant.
A surprising amount of research on individualistic vs collectivistic people
People can react vicariously, though that might be a more reflective, thoughtful process (as opposed to an impulsive, emotional process)
“Should”, “ought”, “must”, “need” are perceived as more threatening.
a person is more threatening than a robot is more threatening than text.
Loss is a higher threat than gain (you will lose benefits, vs you will gain benefits)
Even subconscious primings can set up for reactance.
Reactant individuals believe they can change the situation, as opposed to learned helplessness.
Reactance can be lessened by:
- telling people they are free to think for themselves
- the threatened person taking the perspective of / having empathy for the threatening person
- priming the threatened person for a threat
Reactance can be used for positive reasons, e.g. decreasing procrastination
