Week 6: Social Drives

What are the benefits of having good social support and a social network?

Improved psychological health, physical health. Partially due to sense of belonging and self-esteem

What are the consequences of NOT having good social support?

Feelings of rejection, jealousy, distress, and sticking even with bad relationships.

Does the size of a social network matter?

Only a small number of solid relationships are needed; having more can compromise existing ones.

Why is being part of a social group evolutionarily advantageous?

Macro: culture/tribe; provides resources, protection
• Instrumental: collaboration on a shared goal
• Mating: perpetuate genes, provide support/resources
• Kin/family: perpetuate genes, provide support/resources
• Friendships: provide support

What are the five primary social motives described by North & Fiske (2013)?

Belonging, understanding, controlling, self-enhancement, trust or security.

Which social motives are the focus of these notes?

Belonging and self-enhancement.

What is the belonging motive?

Desire to form social relationships and be part of a group; a general human need.

Is the belonging motive culturally universal?

Yes; all cultures form social connections, though number and type of relationships may differ.

What are the subtypes of the belonging motive?

Macro (culture/tribe), instrumental (shared goals), mating, kin/family, friendships.

What qualities might belonging motive “subtypes” (e.g., macro, instrumental, mating) draw on?

Physical attributes, skills, personality traits.

What evidence shows the need to belong motivates behavior?

Ability to form bonds, thinking about others’ behaviors, in-group favoritism, conformity, emotional consequences of acceptance/rejection, jealousy, distress when relationships dissolve, sticking with bad relationships.

Why do we join social groups according to sociometer theory?

To gauge our own worth and help with self-regulation.

Why do we join groups according to self-verification theory?

To reduce identity uncertainty; social identity is shaped by group membership.

Why do we join groups according to terror management theory (TMT)?

To manage existential anxiety by living up to cultural standards and finding meaning regarding life and death.

What is self-enhancement?

Desire for high self-esteem, preference for positive over negative information about oneself, downplaying weaknesses, downward social comparison, dismissing negative feedback, avoiding situations that make one “look bad,” criticizing others.

How is self-enhancement measured?

Criterion-discrepancy measures (e.g., comparing actual vs. estimated intelligence, self-ratings vs. informant ratings).

What are theoretical arguments for self-enhancement being maladaptive?

Associated with perfectionism, ignoring feedback undermines self-improvement, may appear arrogant.

What are theoretical arguments for self-enhancement being adaptive?

Higher self-esteem, higher sense of mastery, more popular among peers, more desirable to potential mates.

What does research evidence (Dufner et al., 2019) suggest about self-enhancement?

Good for personal adjustment (higher well-being, lower depression), not always good for interpersonal adjustment.

What did the 2023 review (Weissman & Gorlin) find about self-enhancement?

Short-term benefits are outweighed by long-term negative consequences; may foster in-group favoritism leading to exclusion of out-group members.

Are there cultural differences in self-enhancement motives?

Yes, Collectivist (e.g., Chinese) culture seem to have weaker self-enhancement tendencies than individualist (e.g., American) cultures