A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Tears evoke the intention to offer social support: A systematic investigation of the interpersonal effects of emotional crying across 41 countries
Authors: H.Zickfeld Janis, de Ven Nielsvan, Pich Olivia, W.Schubert Thomas, B.Berkessel Jana, J.Pizarro José, Bhushan Braj, Mateo Nino Jose, Barbosa Sergio, Sharman Leah, Kökönyei Gyöngyi, Schrover Elke, Kardum Igor, Aruta, John Jamir Benzon, B.Lazarevic Ljiljana, Escobar María Josefina, Stadelo Marie, Arriagada Patrícia, Dodaj Arta, Shankland Rebecca, M.Majeed Nadyanna, Li Yansong, Lekkou Eleimonitria, Hartanto Andree, A.Özdoğru Asil, Vaughn Leigh Ann, Espinoza Maria del Carmen, Caballero Amparo, Kolen Anouk, Karsten Julie, Manley Harry, Maeura Nao, Eşkisu Mustafa, Shani Yaniv, Chittham Phakkanun, Ferreira Diogo, Bavolar Jozef, Konova Irina, Sato Wataru, Morvinski Coby, Carrera Pilar, Villar Sergio, Ibanez Agustin, Hareli Shlomo, Garcia Adolfo M., Kremer Inbal, Götzan Friedrich M., Schwerdtfeger Andreas, Estrada-Mejia Catalina, Nakayama Masataka, Ng Wee Qin, Sesar Kristina, Orjiakor Charles T., Dumont Kitty, Allred Tara Bulut, Gračanin Asmir, Rentfrow Peter J., Schönefeld Victoria, Vally Zahir, Barzykowski Krystian, Peltola Henna-Riikka, Tcherkassof Anna, Haque Shamsul, Śmieja Magdalena, Su-May Terri Tan, IJzerman Hans, Vatakis Argiro, Ong Chew Wei, Choi Eunsoo, Schorch Sebastian L., Páez Darío, Malik Sadia, Kačmár Pavol, Bobowik Magdalena, Jose Paul, Vuoskoski Jonna K., Basabe Nekane, Doğan Uğur, Ebert Tobias, Uchida Yukiko, Zheng Michelle Xue, Mefoh Philip, Šebeňa René, Stanke Franziska A., Ballada Christine Joy, Blaut Agata, Wu Yang, Daniels Judith K., Kocsel Natália, Burak Elif Gizem Demirag, Balt Nina F., Vanman Eric, Stewart Suzanne L. K., Verschuere Bruno, Sikka Pilleriin, Boudesseul Jordane, Martins Diogo, Nussinson Ravit, Ito Kenichi, Mentser Sari, Çolak Tuğba Seda, Martinez-Zelaya Gonzalo, Vingerhoets Ad
Publisher: Elsevier
Publication year: 2021
Journal: Journal of Experimental Social Psychology
Article number: 104137
Volume: 95
eISSN: 0022-1031
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2021.104137
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/53429798
Tearful crying is a ubiquitous and likely uniquely human phenomenon. Scholars have argued that emotional tears serve an attachment function: Tears are thought to act as a social glue by evoking social support intentions. Initial experimental studies supported this proposition across several methodologies, but these were conducted almost exclusively on participants from North America and Europe, resulting in limited generalizability. This project examined the tears-social support intentions effect and possible mediating and moderating variables in a fully pre-registered study across 7007 participants (24,886 ratings) and 41 countries spanning all populated continents. Participants were presented with four pictures out of 100 possible targets with or without digitally-added tears. We confirmed the main prediction that seeing a tearful individual elicits the intention to support, d = 0.49 [0.43, 0.55]. Our data suggest that this effect could be mediated by perceiving the crying target as warmer and more helpless, feeling more connected, as well as feeling more empathic concern for the crier, but not by an increase in personal distress of the observer. The effect was moderated by the situational valence, identifying the target as part of one's group, and trait empathic concern. A neutral situation, high trait empathic concern, and low identification increased the effect. We observed high heterogeneity across countries that was, via split-half validation, best explained by country-level GDP per capita and subjective well-being with stronger effects for higher-scoring countries. These findings suggest that tears can function as social glue, providing one possible explanation why emotional crying persists into adulthood.
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