Teasing in hierarchical and intimate relations.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional observational interaction studies without randomized controls
PubMed 9866185 · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.75.5.1231
What was done
Two observational studies evaluated teasing interactions among fraternity members (Study 1) and romantic couples (Study 2) to assess how aggressive and playful teasing content varies by social status, relational satisfaction, personality, teaser versus target role, and gender within a face-threat framework.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or confidence intervals. Low-status fraternity members and satisfied romantic partners teased in more prosocial ways with reduced face threat and increased redressive action. Disagreeable individuals teased in less prosocial ways. Targets reported more negative emotion than teasers. Men and women teased in similar ways, but women reported being the target of teasing as more aversive.
Why it matters
This research links teasing style directly to social hierarchy and relationship satisfaction, demonstrating that targets experience teasing with greater negative emotion regardless of familiarity.
Limits
The abstract does not state sample sizes, recruitment details, or statistical effect sizes. Findings from fraternity members and romantic couples may not generalize to other organizational, professional, or cross-cultural settings.