Compare Williams And Bargh's Theory Of Interpersonal Warmth

Physical Warmth, Interpersonal Warmth and Sympathetic Nervous System Activity

La Trobe University, Melbourne
Word Count: 2481

Abstract
Convergent lines of evidence indicate that introducing a physically warm stimulus, such as a heat pack, results in individuals interpreting a target person as “warmer”. Neurobiological mechanisms responsible for thermoregulation may be shared by mechanisms responsible for interpretation of interpersonal warmth, and may be connected to sympathetic nervous system activity. To test this, we attempted to replicate findings from Williams and Bargh (2008) that found a significant difference in interpretation of interpersonal warmth in participants that were given a warm stimulus compared to a cold
It was found that priming an individual with a list of words that included ‘warm’ had a positive correlation with participants describing, and perceiving an individual as generous, happy, good-natured, sociable, and caring or “warm”. Asch’s findings were integral in inspiring further research in this field. Williams and Bargh (2008) investigated whether there is a connection between a physically warm stimulus and individual’s interpretation of interpersonal warmth. It was reported that if participants were given a physically warm stimulus they were significantly more likely to perceive a target individual as being ‘warmer’ than participants who had been given a cold
(2013). Shared neural mechanisms underlying social warmth and physical warmth. Psychological Science, 24(9). DOI: 10.1177/0956797613492773
Insel, T. R., & Young, L. J. (2001). The neurobiology of attachment. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2(2), 129-136.
Kober, A., Scheck, T., Tschabitscher, F., Wiltschnig, S., Sator-Katzenshlager, S., Madei, W., . . . Hoerauf, K. (2003). The influence of local active warming on pain relief of patients with cholelithiasis during rescue transport. Anesthesia and Analgesia, 96(5), 1447-1452. doi: 10.1213/ 01.ANE.0000056825.55397.1F
Lowry, C., Lightman, S., & Nutt, D. (2009). That warm fuzzy feeling: Brain serotonergic neurons and the regulation of emotion. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 23(4), 392-400. doi: 10.1177/0269881108099956
Martinsson, P., Myrseth, K. O. R., & Wollbrant, C. (2012). Reconciling pro-social vs. selfish behavior: On the role of self-control. Judgment and Decision Making, 7(3), 1-20.
Mercer, S. H., McMillen, J. S., & DeRosier, M. E. (2009). Predicting change in children 's aggression and victimization using classroom-level descriptive norms of aggression and pro-social behavior. Journal of School Psychology, 47(4), 267-289. doi: