A Comparative Study: Need for Affiliation and Gratitude among Young Adults Who Are/Aren’t In a Relationship

Abstract

Humans, as social beings, have an inherent need for affiliation. This need to form social relationships and maintain them varies in degree from individual to individual. Need for affiliation is a need for open and sociable interpersonal relationships. A common definition of gratitude is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness;”.Researchers have conceptualized gratitude as an emotion that is always directed towards appreciating the helpful actions of other people (c.f. McCullough, Kilpatrick, Emmons, & Larson, 2001). The aim of the present investigation was to compare among young adults who are in a relationship with those who aren’t on their need for affiliation and feeling of general gratitude. It was hypothesized that need for affiliation and gratitude will be more in people who are in a relationship from those who aren’t and there will also be gender differences in gratitude and need for affiliation. A sample of 210 participants of the age group 18-24 were selected from which 105 were in a relationship and 105 have never been in a relationship. Need for affiliation was assessed using Liking People Scale developed by E.E. Filsinger (1981) and gratitude using the Gratitude Questionnaire-6 by Michael E. McCullough (2002). Results shall be discussed in light of role of chosen variables and were interpreted in terms of their significance.