Interpersonal acceptance–rejection theory

IPARTheory is an evidence-based theory of socialization and lifespan development that attempts to describe, predict, and explain major consequences and correlates of interpersonal acceptance and rejection in multiple types of relationships worldwide.

"[1] One major tenet of the theory states that all humans, regardless of racial, gender, cultural, or ethnic differences have a biologically based need for acceptance and positive responses from the important people, or significant others, in their lives.

[4] Significant others (attachment figures) are people that share a lasting emotional bond with and are uniquely important to a child or an adult, most often parents or romantic partners.

[5] When children or adults do not receive the acceptance or positive response they need, they tend to perceive this as a form of interpersonal rejection and respond with a combination of 10 apparent pancultural dispositions.

[1] Dependency, or "the internal, psychologically felt wish or yearning for emotional (as opposed to instrumental or task-oriented) support, care, comfort, attention, nurturance, and similar behaviors from significant others" is a very common response from people seeking acceptance following perceived rejection.

Larger social institutions like the economic system, family structure, and political organization tend to shape how much acceptance parents and other significant persons offer.

[16][17] Interpersonal acceptance is marked by warmth, affection, comfort, emotional support, and love which is expressed by the significant other.

Relationships that are high in interpersonal rejection, on the other hand, are characterized by an absence of positive feelings and may also include emotional withdrawal, as well as the presence of psychologically or physically hurtful behaviors.

[18] However, by the year 2000, Rohner and other researchers like Abdul Khaleque had started investigating the effects of rejection in non-parental significant relationships.