Abstract
The current study investigated the reactive spiral—an idea long proposed but not investigated. Based on Wicklund’s (1974) “hydraulic principle,” we predicted that participants placed in a state of reactance before receiving a highly restrictive message would report higher reactance levels than those whowere not in such a state. Participants (n= 130) completed a reactance-inducing writing task or a benign one; they then received a message threatening a large or small choice restriction. Outcome measureswere perceived threat, anger and attitudes toward the policy, and intentions to contact the university president about the restriction. Participants receiving the reactance-inducing writing task before exposure to a highly restrictive threat reported more negative attitudes and higher levels of threat and anger than those who received the benign writing task before receiving the same threat. There were no statistically significant differences regarding intentions between these two groups (highly restrictive message: reactance-inducing vs. benign writing task). However, an auxiliary analysis comparing these two groups indicated an indirect effect on intentions through increased anger, greater perceived threat, and more negative attitudes among those receiving the reactance-inducing writing task. Although S. S. Brehm and Brehm (1981) suggested the “hydraulic principle” would only apply when the cause of the initial reactance and the proximal threat were related, these data did not support that contention. Overall, data provide preliminary support for the reactive spiral and indicate the cause of the initial reactance does not need to be related to the second freedom threat for the spiral to occur.
Original language | American English |
---|---|
Journal | Motivation Science |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 29 2024 |
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Environmental Engineering
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Applied Psychology
- Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Keywords
- reactance theory
- psychological reactance theory
- hydraulic principle
- freedom
- reactive spiral
- restriction
Disciplines
- Social Psychology and Interaction