Again you received an invitation to an event of a barely third-degree relative, or a friend from three wars and 12 governments, and you approve participation because "you don't like it"? A new study has revealed that the fear of refusing invitations may be much greater than the social consequences of actually refusal. We used ChatGPT to solve once and for all the long-standing problem of every Israeli over the age of 20.
The study, led by psychologist Julian Giwi of West Virginia University, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology of the American Psychological Association, delved into the psychology behind rejecting invitations. One of the main reasons for the anxiety surrounding such a rejection is, as is well known, the fear of being perceived as not caring about the customer, disappointing him and creating a sense of alienation and even "bad blood" in case of rejection of the invitation.
The researchers conducted five experiments to assess the anxiety levels of those who decline invitations. In scenarios involving couples, hypothetical friends, and real-life friends, invitees showed a consistent tendency to overestimate the negative reactions that hosts would have if an invitation was declined. The invitees tended to fear reactions of anger, disappointment and damage to the relationship, which the hosts did not experience.
The findings of the study show that invitees tend to overestimate the negative consequences of declining invitations; that the hosts, for their part, often identified with the reasons for rejecting the invitation and did not react negatively; All this in parallel with the benefits of accepting invitations and attending events, which strengthens social relationships.
This study provides a reassuring message for those who are debating how to respond to an invitation to an event. Contrary to exaggerated fears, hosts are not as upset as invitees fear they will be, as long as they believe that rejecting the invitation has a valid reason.
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