Freedom and Reactance

Robert A. Wicklund

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN: 9781032846583
• eBook ISBN: 9781040144695
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Applied Psychology
• Index: Psychology

Brehm's theory of psychological reactance in 1966 marked the beginning of a psychological investigation into the consequences of losing freedom. The concept "freedom" had been touched upon intermittently by disciplines such as political science and philosophy, and even on occasion by psychology, but Brehm's treatment had been the first analysis of freedom to spark experimental investigations into the variety of reactions to infringements on freedom. Originally published in 1974, Freedom and Reactance was written to capture the many directions taken by the theory since 1966, and to integrate reactance theory with theoretical ideas that applied to some of the same phenomena. Today it can be read and enjoyed in its historical context.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Original Title
• Original Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• 1. Introduction to Reactance Theory and an Outline of Topics
• 2. Introduction to Social Influence
• 3. Strength of Threat to Freedom and Social Influence
• 4. Freedom and Social Influence
• 5. Importance of Freedom and Social Influence
• 6. Proportion of Freedom Threatened and Social Influence
• 7. Implication for Future Threat and Social Influence
• 8. Restoration of Freedom by Direct Social Intervention and by Social Implication
• 9. Two Special Theoretical Issues Examined in the Context of Social Influence
• 10. Introduction to Barriers
• 11. Barrier Strength
• 12. Freedom and Barriers
• 13. Importance of Freedom and Barriers
• 14. Proportion of Freedom Threatened by Barriers
• 15. A Special Issue: The Difference Between Reactance and Frustration
• 16. Self-Imposed Threats to Freedom
• 17. Additional Meanings of Freedom and Questions for Reactance Theory
• References
• Author Index
• Subject Index