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Affiliation patterns among cancer patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Yacov Rofé ,
Isaac Lewin  and
Michael Hoffman
Yacov Rofé*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Israel
Isaac Lewin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Israel
Michael Hoffman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Israel
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Y. Rofé, Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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Synopsis

Affiliation preferences of 150 cancer out-patients were assessed in the waiting-room and day-to-day life. Results indicated the vast majority avoided fellow patients, preferring to be alone or with healthy people. Similarly, patients tended to avoid the topic of illness in their social contacts. Moreover, those desiring to be with the healthy displayed the highest levels of negative emotion. Finally, avoidance of fellow patients was higher among males, the elderly, and the more highly educated. Overall, the findings were inconsistent with the thesis that those under stress seek out others in similar straits, as suggested by Schachter's emotional comparison theory or Will's downward comparison theory. Rather, they support Rofé's utility theory of stress and affiliation.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , May 1987 , pp. 419 - 424
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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