Escape Theory

Definition

Escape theory refers to the tendency for people to engage in behaviors to avoid an unpleasant psychological reaction. Whereas the common use of the term escape suggests physically removing oneself from a physical location (such as escaping from prison), escape theory is used to describe behaviors that enable a person to flee from negative perceptions of the self. Escape from the self may help a person temporarily avoid a negative psychological reaction, but the behaviors that follow from a motivation to escape from the self are frequently undesirable.

History and Background

Social psychology has a long history of examining the consequences of how people view themselves for their behavior. People construct and interpret meaning based on how well their identity falls short of, meets, or exceeds expectations that people set for themselves or that are supported by social norms. Escape theory is concerned primarily with the behaviors that follow when people recognize that some part of their identity falls short of desired standards. When people realize that a part of their identity fails to meet desired standards, they narrow the focus of their attention to the present and immediate environment to avoid meaningful thought regarding unflattering aspects of themselves.

Over the past several decades, social psychologists have demonstrated that people construct and interpret meaning at both high and low levels. High levels of meaning involve comparison of one's self against broad personal or social standards, such as how a current behavior might relate to an event that might occur in the future. Low levels of meaning, in contrast, involve a narrow, concrete awareness of the immediate present. Studying for an exam, for example, can be explained as fulfilling a long-term goal of achieving academic and career success (high level of meaning). At a low level of meaning, studying for an exam could be explained as simple eye and muscle movements. Charles Carver and Michael Scheier proposed that people shift their level of awareness to a low level of meaning when they are confronted with parts of their identity that fail to meet socially approved standards. Other research has shown that people prefer a low level of awareness after experiencing failure or stress. Thus, past theory and research have shown that people seek to escape from the self when one or more aspects of their identity fall short of expectations.

Six Main Steps in Escape Theory

Escape theory is organized in six main steps. First, the person has a severe experience in which he or she realizes that current outcomes (or circumstances) fall below societal or self-imposed standards. Second, the person blames these disappointing outcomes on internal aspects of the self (i.e., parts of his or her personality) as opposed to situational factors. Third, the person recognizes that current outcomes portray the self as inadequate, incompetent, unattractive, or guilty. Fourth, the person experiences negative emotions as a result of the realization that current outcomes fall short of desired expectations. Fifth, the person seeks to escape from this negative psychological reaction by avoiding high-level, meaningful thought. Sixth, the consequences of this avoidance of meaningful thought results in a lack of restraint, which may give rise to undesirable behaviors.

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