“I Need to Belong”: Examining a Negative Halo Effect for Expressions of the Need to Belong
We examine a problem faced by individuals with a high need to belong; expressing a desire for social relationships may make it more difficult to form them. In particular, we suggest expressions of heightened belongingness needs create a negative halo effect whereby people expressing those needs appe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.10801 |
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| author | Kevin P. McIntyre Matthew M. Peebles Brent A. Mattingly |
| author_facet | Kevin P. McIntyre Matthew M. Peebles Brent A. Mattingly |
| author_sort | Kevin P. McIntyre |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We examine a problem faced by individuals with a high need to belong; expressing a desire for social relationships may make it more difficult to form them. In particular, we suggest expressions of heightened belongingness needs create a negative halo effect whereby people expressing those needs appear to be less attractive and more desperate to potential relationship partners. In two experiments, participants viewed hypothetical targets who endorsed high, moderate, or low levels of the need to belong, and then rated these targets on measures of social attractiveness and social desperation. Results revealed that participants rated both high and low need to belong targets as low in social attractiveness (Experiment 1, N = 116) and social stature (Experiment 2, N = 111), relative to the moderate need to belong target. However, participants rated the high need to belong target significantly higher in social desperation, compared to the moderate and low need to belong targets. Lastly, social desperation significantly mediated the association between (high vs. moderate) expressed need to belong and social attractiveness, suggesting that expressing heightened need to belong is uniquely unattractive to others as it conveys a sense of social desperation. Overall, these results suggest that when they express a desire to form close relationships, those high in the need to belong may have a difficult time achieving a sense of belonging. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6ff2a01bc260481db2ddaac054de0704 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1981-6472 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships |
| spelling | doaj-art-6ff2a01bc260481db2ddaac054de07042025-08-20T02:16:12ZengPsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for PsychologyInterpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships1981-64722024-12-0118220121510.5964/ijpr.10801ijpr.10801“I Need to Belong”: Examining a Negative Halo Effect for Expressions of the Need to BelongKevin P. McIntyre0Matthew M. Peebles1Brent A. Mattingly2Department of Psychology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX, USADepartment of Psychology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX, USADepartment of Psychology, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, USAWe examine a problem faced by individuals with a high need to belong; expressing a desire for social relationships may make it more difficult to form them. In particular, we suggest expressions of heightened belongingness needs create a negative halo effect whereby people expressing those needs appear to be less attractive and more desperate to potential relationship partners. In two experiments, participants viewed hypothetical targets who endorsed high, moderate, or low levels of the need to belong, and then rated these targets on measures of social attractiveness and social desperation. Results revealed that participants rated both high and low need to belong targets as low in social attractiveness (Experiment 1, N = 116) and social stature (Experiment 2, N = 111), relative to the moderate need to belong target. However, participants rated the high need to belong target significantly higher in social desperation, compared to the moderate and low need to belong targets. Lastly, social desperation significantly mediated the association between (high vs. moderate) expressed need to belong and social attractiveness, suggesting that expressing heightened need to belong is uniquely unattractive to others as it conveys a sense of social desperation. Overall, these results suggest that when they express a desire to form close relationships, those high in the need to belong may have a difficult time achieving a sense of belonging.https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.10801need to belongsocial desperationsocial attractionsocial staturenegative halo effect |
| spellingShingle | Kevin P. McIntyre Matthew M. Peebles Brent A. Mattingly “I Need to Belong”: Examining a Negative Halo Effect for Expressions of the Need to Belong Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships need to belong social desperation social attraction social stature negative halo effect |
| title | “I Need to Belong”: Examining a Negative Halo Effect for Expressions of the Need to Belong |
| title_full | “I Need to Belong”: Examining a Negative Halo Effect for Expressions of the Need to Belong |
| title_fullStr | “I Need to Belong”: Examining a Negative Halo Effect for Expressions of the Need to Belong |
| title_full_unstemmed | “I Need to Belong”: Examining a Negative Halo Effect for Expressions of the Need to Belong |
| title_short | “I Need to Belong”: Examining a Negative Halo Effect for Expressions of the Need to Belong |
| title_sort | i need to belong examining a negative halo effect for expressions of the need to belong |
| topic | need to belong social desperation social attraction social stature negative halo effect |
| url | https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.10801 |
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