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Social reactions to adult crying: the help-soliciting function of tears.

Hendriks, M.C.P., Croon, M.A., Vingerhoets, A.J.J.M. Social reactions to adult crying: the help-soliciting function of tears. Journal of Social Psychology: 2008, 148(1), p. 22-41.
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The authors investigated how people believe they respond to crying individuals. Participants (N = 530) read 6 vignettes describing situations in which they encountered a person who either cried or did not cry. Participants reported they would give more emotional support to and express less negative affect toward a crying person than a noncrying person. However, regression analyses revealed that participants judged a crying person less positively than a noncrying person and felt more negative feelings in the presence of a crying person than a noncrying person. The valence of the situation strongly moderated these reactions. Overall, results support the theory that crying is an attachment behavior designed to elicit help from others. (aut. ref.)