The Relationship Between Psychological Reactance and Self-Esteem.

The article discusses the relationship between psychological reactance and self-esteem. Psychological reactance is a counterforce that is aroused when an individual's freedom is threatened or eliminated. Reactance theorists found that reactions to violence, patient responses to therapy, and workplace behaviors have been partially explained in terms of psychological reactance theory. Given these findings, researchers S.M. Hong and S. Page developed the Hong Psychological Reactance Scale, which is a valid and reliable measurement of psychological reactance. A study found that psychological reactance is related to such personality characteristics as trait anger, locus of control, and depression.