An Existential Function of Enemyship: Evidence That People AttributeInfluence to Personal and Political Enemies to Compensate forThreats to Control

摘要

Perceiving oneself as having powerful enemies, although superficially disagreeable, may serve animportant psychological function. On the basis of E. Becker's (1969) existential theorizing, the authorsargue that people attribute exaggerated influence to enemies as a means of compensating for perceptionsof reduced control over their environment. In Study 1, individuals dispositionally low in perceivedcontrol responded to a reminder of external hazards by attributing more influence to a personal enemy.In Study 2, a situational threat to control over external hazard strengthened participants' belief in theconspiratorial power of a political enemy. Examining moderators and outcomes of this process, Study 3showed that participants were especially likely to attribute influence over life events to an enemy whenthe broader social system appeared disordered, and Study 4 showed that perceiving an ambiguouslypowerful enemy under conditions of control threat decreased perceptions of external risk and bolsteredfeelings of personal control.