Can We Get Social Assistance Without Losing Agency? Engaging in Market Relationships as an Alternative to Searching for Help from Others

Attachment orientations moderate people’s preferences for market versus communal relationships under a control threat

“…This finding aligns with the fact that such individuals frequently deactivate their attachment system by steering clear of intimacy and disclosure while advocating for independence and self-reliance (Mikulincer & Nachshon, 1991; Shaver & Mikulincer, 2002). Market-like interactions are a perfect solution when a person can get needed social assistance without getting close to others (Gasiorowska & Zaleskiewicz, 2022). Furthermore, a control threat prompted the preference for market solutions among individuals who scored low on attachment avoidance, rendering their choices more similar to those with high attachment avoidance.…”

“…Faced with everyday challenges, people can either act independently or ask others for assistance (Milyavsky et al, 2022). In the latter case, people have a choice between at least two alternatives: asking others for help or paying for a service (Gasiorowska & Zaleskiewicz, 2022). For example, if someone needs to reach the airport, they can use their car ( agentic option ), ask a friend to drive them ( communal option ), or pay for a taxi ( market option ).…”

Anxious and Status Signaling: Examining the Link between Attachment Style and Status Consumption and the Mediating Role of Materialistic Values

“…Because avoidant participants eschew intrinsic goals associated with building and maintaining close social ties, they may see a commitment to consumption and possessions as a way to gain achievement and self-reliance rather than as a substitute for attachment in itself. Recently, Gasiorowska and Zaleskiewicz (2021) suggested that market-related behaviors may be an important alternative to seeking help from close others, especially those who focus on their agency, self-efficacy, and sense of control. Hence, it is possible that avoidant individuals turn to the market exchange to achieve their goals and thus experience even greater agency, not because they are particularly interested in the symbolic meaning of their consumption.…”