We investigated how psychological distance influences goal contagion (the extent to which people automatically adopt another person’s goals). On the basis of construal-level theory, we predicted people would be more prone to goal contagion when primed with psychological distance (vs. closeness) because they would construe the other person’s behavior in terms of its underlying goal. Alternatively, we predicted people primed with psychological closeness (vs. distance) would be more prone to goal contagion because closeness may increase the personal relevance of another’s goals – a process not mediated by construal level. In two preregistered studies, participants read about a student whose behavior implied either an academic or a social goal. We manipulated (a) participants’ level of mental construal with a mind-set task (Study 1) and (b) their social distance from another person who showed academic or social behaviors (Study 2). We measured performance on an anagram task as an indicator of academic goal contagion. For Study 1, we predicted that participants reading about academic (vs. social) behaviors would show a better anagram performance, especially when primed with an abstract mind-set. For Study 2, we predicted that construal level and relevance effects might cancel each other out, because distance triggers both high-level construal and less relevance. In contrast to the construal-level hypothesis, the mind-set manipulation did not affect goal contagion in Study 1. In accordance with the relevance hypothesis, psychological proximity increased goal contagion in Study 2. We discuss how the findings relate to previous findings on goal contagion and imitation.
This research investigated whether LGBTQ* minority stress and public displays of affection (PDA; e.g., kissing, hugging) among LGBTQ* couples are context-sensitive. We expected that (a) LQBTQ* minority stress would be more prevalent in a harmful (i.e., city center) versus a less harmful (i.e., university campus) context, and (b) PDA would be reduced for LGBTQ* couples in a harmful context. In three studies, LGBTQ* and Hetero/Cis students (NTotal = 517) reported LGBTQ*-specific minority stress and PDA in the city and on campus. The city center was higher in minority stress than the campus in all studies. Also, LGBTQ* participants’ PDA enjoyment was lower in the city than on campus (Studies 1 and 3). Minority stress mediated the context effect on PDA (Study 3). A qualitative analysis illuminated the harmful versus protective natures of public contexts. We conclude that a protective context can powerfully promote healthy LGBTQ* relationship behavior.
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