A Theory of Social Thermoregulation in Human Primates

61 Pages Posted: 12 Nov 2014 Last revised: 12 Mar 2015

See all articles by Hans IJzerman

Hans IJzerman

Université Grenoble Alpes

James Coan

University of Virginia - Psychology

Fieke Wagemans

Tilburg University

Marjolein Missler

Tilburg University

Ilja van Beest

Tilburg University

Siegwart M. Lindenberg

University of Groningen - Department of Sociology; Tilburg University - Tilburg Institute for Behavioral Economics Research (TIBER); Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences

Mattie Tops

VU University Amsterdam

Date Written: November 10, 2014

Abstract

Beyond breathing, the regulation of body temperature — thermoregulation — is one of the most pressing concerns for many animals. A dysregulated body temperature has dire consequences for survival and development. Despite the high frequency of social thermoregulation occurring across many species, little is known about the role of social thermoregulation in human (social) psychological functioning. We outline a theory of social thermoregulation and reconsider earlier research on people’s expectations of their social world (i.e., attachment) and their prediction of the social world. We provide support and outline a research agenda that includes consequences for individual variation in self-regulatory strategies and capabilities. In our paper, we discuss physiological, neural, and social processes surrounding thermoregulation. Emphasizing social thermoregulation in particular, we appeal to the economy of action principle and the hierarchical organization of human thermoregulatory systems. We close with future directions of a crucial aspect of human functioning: The social regulation of body temperature.

Keywords: embodiment, social thermoregulation, social cognition, self-regulation

Suggested Citation

IJzerman, Hans and Coan, James and Wagemans, Fieke and Missler, Marjolein and van Beest, Ilja and Lindenberg, Siegwart M. and Tops, Mattie, A Theory of Social Thermoregulation in Human Primates (November 10, 2014). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2521717 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2521717

Hans IJzerman (Contact Author)

Université Grenoble Alpes ( email )

Grenoble
France

James Coan

University of Virginia - Psychology ( email )

United States

Fieke Wagemans

Tilburg University ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, DC Noord-Brabant 5000 LE
Netherlands

Marjolein Missler

Tilburg University ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, DC Noord-Brabant 5000 LE
Netherlands

Ilja van Beest

Tilburg University ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, DC Noord-Brabant 5000 LE
Netherlands

Siegwart M. Lindenberg

University of Groningen - Department of Sociology ( email )

Groningen
Netherlands

Tilburg University - Tilburg Institute for Behavioral Economics Research (TIBER) ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences ( email )

Amsterdam, 1000 GC
Netherlands

Mattie Tops

VU University Amsterdam ( email )

De Boelelaan 1105
Amsterdam, ND North Holland 1081 HV
Netherlands

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
255
Abstract Views
2,140
Rank
218,188
PlumX Metrics