Interpersonal Perceptions as Function of Personality Styles

• Main Author: Gascoyne, Suzanne R.
• Format: Others
• Published: VCU Scholars Compass 1984
• Subjects: Counseling Psychology
• Online Access: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/4719; http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5820&context=etd

One hundred, sixty-nine undergraduates participated in a study that investigated the effects of interpersonal self-perceptions on judgements made about others. Subjects' interpersonal styles were assessed by self-ratings using the Interpersonal Adjective Scales (IAS). Subjects also rated the interpersonal styles of two video-taped stimulus others using the IAS. In addition, subjects' degree of identification and desire to affiliate with the stimuli were assessed. The general design was a two-group rating comparison (Friendly-Dominant and Friendly-Submissive, and more extreme and less extreme) across two stimulus conditions, Hostile-Dominant and Hostile-Submissive. There were several findings and interpretations were forwarded. Extreme subjects assigned higher, more extreme ratings to both the stimuli than did less extreme subjects. More extreme or interpersonally rigid individuals may interpret others' behavior as more extreme than do flexible individuals. Subjects assigned the most extreme ratings to the stimulus whose behavior was opposite of their own on the Interpersonal Circle. It may be that subjects responded with extreme ratings to the stimulus who greatly epitomized the impression they endeavor to avoid. Friendly-Submissive subjects indicated a preference for identifying and affiliating with the Hostile-Submissive stimulus, while Friendly-Dominant subjects indicated little preference between the two stimuli. Friendly-Submissive subjects apparently were more sensitive to the role demands for cooperative behavior inherent in a counseling-type stimulus situation than were Friendly-Dominant subjects. Less extreme subjects rated the Hostile-Dominant stimulus as more extreme than they rated the Hostile-Submissive stimulus, while more extreme subjects differed little in their ratings of the two stimuli. It is likely that less extreme, flexible individuals are more responsive to changes in situational contexts than are more rigid individuals. Overall, the results support the assertion that self-descriptions and descriptions of others are systematically-related, as well as providing support for the need to attend to traits, situations, and then interactions in the study of interpersonal behavior.