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.
Brehm’s theory of psychological reactance in 1966 was the start of a psychological investigation into the consequences of losing freedom. First published in 1974, this book was written to capture the many directions taken by the theory since, and to integrate reactance theory with theoretical ideas that applied to some of the same phenomena
Preface.
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 Comparison
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 Issues: 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.
Robert A. Wicklund (1941-2020), at University of Texas at Austin, USA at time of original publication.
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