Affiliative behaviours among soldiers during war time

This study analyzes the development of social interaction in a noncombat military unit, which was stationed in a war zone during the October 1973 Middle East war. Like previous studies it points out that interpersonal relationships in military units stationed in war zones are characterized by informal and intimate relations. However, this study brings into focus the stages preceding the formation of intimacy. Following Schachter's emotional comparison theory and Foa's theory of interpersonal resources it was hypothesized that the first patterns of affiliative behavior to occur among soldiers would be the exchange of information, which would help them to clarify the threatening situation; and as time elapses exchanges of particularistic resources would take place. As predicted, the first exchange pattern to occur was of nonparticularistic resources information. Exchanges of particularistic resources (friendship, affection, support) emerged only at a later stage. An approach which proposes a sequence of motivations underlying affiliation is presented and discussed.