Social reactions to adult crying: the help-soliciting function of tears.
The authors investigated how people believe they respond to crying individuals. Participants (N = 530) read 6 vignettes describing situations in which they encountered a person who either cried or did not cry. Participants reported they would give more emotional support to and express less negative affect toward a crying person than a noncrying person. However, regression analyses revealed that participants judged a crying person less positively than a noncrying person and felt more negative feelings in the presence of a crying person than a noncrying person. The valence of the situation strongly moderated these reactions. Overall, results support the theory that crying is an attachment behavior designed to elicit help from others.
Hendriks
Michelle C P
MC
Tilburg University The Netherlands.
Croon
Marcel A
MA
Vingerhoets
Ad J J M
AJ
D000328:Adult; D003448:Crying; D005260:Female; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013666:Tears