Are You Feeling What I’m Feeling? Emotional Similarity Buffers Stress

Townsend, Sarah S. M.; Kim, Heejung S.; Mesquita, Batja

doi:10.1177/1948550613511499

Cited by 63 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…This finding is consistent with prior research on similarity in emotions (e.g., Townsend et al, 2014). When an individual experiences high stress, it may be adaptive for closer others to display similar emotions to the individual.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Perceived similarity in emotional reaction profiles between the self and a close other as a predictor of emotional well-being

Cheng

Grühn

2016

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

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Individuals' reaction tendencies in emotional situations may influence their social relationships. In two studies, we examined whether perceived similarity in emotional reaction tendencies between the self and a close other was associated with individuals' emotional well-being. Participants rated how the self and a close other (mother in Study 1; a selfnominated close other in Study 2) would react in various situations. Individuals who perceived greater similarity between the self and the close other reported more positive affect, less negative affect, lower perceived stress, and higher life satisfaction than those who perceived less self-other similarity. Furthermore, stress exposure moderated the effects of self-other similarity on perceived stress. In summary, greater perceived similarity with one's close others seems beneficial for social-emotional adaptation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Perceived similarity in emotional reaction profiles between the self and a close other as a predictor of emotional well-being

Cheng

Grühn

2016

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

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“…These qualities might be responsible for the increasing use of distinctive indices of similarity (Baird et al, 2006; Bleidorn, Kandler, Riemann, Angleitner, & Spinath, 2012; Furr, 2008; Klimstra et al, 2010; Rogers & Biesanz, 2015). However, many investigators continue to use similarity indices that do not remove the normative profile (Boer et al, 2011; Decuyper, De Bolle, & De Fruyt, 2012; Gonzaga et al, 2010; Terracciano, McCrae, & Costa, 2010; Townsend et al, 2013), and this seems due to a sense that distinctive indices eliminate something that is not an artifact. 4 In our example, the concern is that we are removing meaningful ways in which Hermione and Ron really are similar to one another.…”

Section: The Correlates Of Similarity Greatly Depend On How It Is Indmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research also finds that the types of similarity that are beneficial may also be wide-ranging, including similarity in values, emotions, personality traits, behaviors, and attitudes (C. Anderson, Keltner, & John, 2003; Barni, Knafo, Ben-Arieh, & Haj-Yahia, 2014; Boer et al, 2011; Furr & Funder, 2004; Townsend, Kim, & Mesquita, 2013). These findings have been pointed to as evidence for the long-standing theoretical position that similarities of various types facilitate positive outcomes more generally (Byrne, 1971; Izard, 1960; Roberts et al, 2001).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Correlates of Similarity Estimates Are Often Misleadingly Positive

Wood

Furr

2015

Pers Soc Psychol Rev

135

215

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Research on similarity constructs (e.g., dyadic similarity, personality stability; judgment agreement and accuracy) frequently find them to be associated with positive outcomes. However, a methodological pitfall associated with common ‘overall similarity’ indices, which we term the normative-desirability confound (NDC), will regularly result in similarity constructs apparently having more positive effects than they do in reality. In essence, when an individual is estimated to be similar to another person by common indices, this will strongly indicate that the individual has desirable characteristics. Consequently, the correlates of overall similarity indices can often be interpreted as indicating the beneficial effects of having desirable characteristics, without needing to attribute any additional salutary effect to similarity. We show that this confound is present in overall similarity estimates for a wide range of constructs (e.g., personality traits, attitudes, emotions, behaviors, values), how it can be accounted for, and discuss larger implications for our understanding of similarity constructs.

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“…Highly self-efficacious students may be attractive as helpers and advice givers but may also make others feel uncertain. In challenging situations, students may feel more comfortable interacting with someone with similar feelings or beliefs (Townsend et al 2014). We explore how academic achievement and self-efficacy affect choices in academic support and advice relationships in an FLC.…”

Section: Academic and Social Support Relationshipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergent achievement segregation in freshmen learning community networks

et al. 2017

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A common assumption about Freshmen Learning Communities (FLCs) is that academic relationships contribute to students' success. This study investigates how students in learning communities connect with fellow students for friendship and academic support. Longitudinal social network data across the first year, collected from 95 Dutch students in eight FLCs, measure both social and academic relational choices within and beyond the FLCs. Using stochastic actor-based models, the study tests two competing hypotheses. The alignment hypothesis states that students connect with their similar-achieving friends for both academic and social support, leading to an alignment of both types of networks over time. In contrast, the duality hypothesis states dissimilarity between academic support networks and friendship networks: Institute for Analytical Sociology, Linköping University, Kopparhammaren 2 Norra Grytsgatan 10, 601 74 Norrköping, Sweden students should connect with better-achieving fellow students for academic support and to more similar peers for friendship. The data support the alignment hypothesis but not the duality hypothesis; in addition, they show evidence of achievement segregation in FLCs: the higher the students' achievement level, the more they connect with other students for both academic support and friendship, relating in particular to peers with a similarly high achievement level. The results suggest that lower-achieving students are excluded from the support provided by higherachieving students and instead ask similar lower achievers for support. They thus cannot benefit optimally from the academic integration FLC offer. The article concludes with recommendations of how to support students in an FLC so that they can reach optimal achievement potential.

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Are You Feeling What I’m Feeling? Emotional Similarity Buffers Stress

Cited by 63 publications

References 38 publications

Perceived similarity in emotional reaction profiles between the self and a close other as a predictor of emotional well-being

Perceived similarity in emotional reaction profiles between the self and a close other as a predictor of emotional well-being

The Correlates of Similarity Estimates Are Often Misleadingly Positive

Emergent achievement segregation in freshmen learning community networks

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