Controlling Self and Others: A Theory of Anxiety, Mental Control, and Social Control

Abstract

This address integrates social and personality variables by studying the impact of social structure on basic human motivations and anxiety. When situations threaten the ability to meet basic human needs, people become anxious and attempt to restore control Social structures of power threaten people's sole control over meeting basic needs for competence, self-esteem, and a benevolent world. Depending on the need under threat, people may cope with their anxiety in different ways. For example, anxiety over different threatened needs may cause powerless people either to be hyper vigilant toward those in power or to discount negative information about them and align with them. Just as people who are anxious because of social powerlessness may attempt to restore control by social cognitive processes, trait-anxious people may attempt to restore control by their impression formation strategies.