To Affiliate or to Excel？Strategies of Relationship Adaptation of High Achiever

• Main Authors: Lo, Wu-Chih, 羅悟之
• Other Authors: 危芷芬
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/38570363503970398107

碩士 === 臺北市立大學 === 心理與諮商學系 === 104 === 　　Within Western, individualistic context, self-esteem threats only influence the level of 〝small-self〞. However, in Chinese culture, There are considerations of 〝great-self〞, which means people not only concern about themselves , but also think about relationships with others. Since social comparison leads to jealousy and envy, people with excellent performance might be bespattered by others (Huang, 2009; van de Ven, Zeelenberg & Pieters, 2011). Excellent people may have more interpersonal distress in vertical goals than in non-vertical goals (Lo & Wei, 2013). 　　According to Chinese relationalism, people with excellent performance would adopt affiliation, modest, and avoidant strategies to maintaining harmony relationships (Lo & Wei, 2014). The contents of evaluation have been little explored in the past. Therefore, this study distinguished evaluations into three categories, i.e. ability, character, and popularity. Previous studies showed halo effect of physical attractiveness on personality or ability (i.e. Brosseau-Liard & Birch, 2010; Dion, Berscheid & Walster, 1972; Dion, 1973). In Chinese culture, interpersonal harmony was strongly emphasized. Therefore, popularity could impose halo effect on ability and character. The aim of present study was to explore the effects of relationship adaptation strategies of winners, and the moderation of relationship. The participants were 162 college students in Taiwan (85 failed manipulation check were excluded), including 42 male and 117 female (mean age 21.45). Two-factor completely between-subject design was conducted. The independent variables were relationship adaptation strategies (affiliation, modest, and avoidant; cited in Lo & Wei, 2014) and targets (friends, and acquaintances). The dependent variables were evaluations (ability, character, and popularity). The covariates were importance of academic, importance of harmony, and relevant experience. Scenario questionnaire was used as instrument. Participants had to read hypothetical scenarios and rated ability, popularity, and character by 6-point Likert-type scales. In pilot study, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed a three-factor structure with good validity and reliability. In formal study, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed similar structure. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), indicated that ability evaluations for friends were higher than acquaintances; affiliation strategies led to higher character and popularity evaluations than modest and avoidant strategies. The results indicated that path model for friends and acquaintances fitted well with the data. For both friends and acquaintances, popularity evaluations were mediated between affiliation strategies and evaluations of character and ability. Popularity evaluations showed halo effect on evaluations of ability and character. Compared to avoidance strategies, affiliation predicted lower ability evaluations of friends. Compared to avoidance strategies, modesty predicted lower character evaluations of acquaintances.