Interpersonal (Personality) Interpersonal (Personality) PsychologyPsychology

CSCW CSCW

January 26, 2004January 26, 2004

What are people like?What are people like?

Traits versus StatesTraits versus States– A A traittrait is an enduring personality characteristic. is an enduring personality characteristic.– A A statestate is a transient mood. is a transient mood.

What is an What is an object/concept/schema/personality trait object/concept/schema/personality trait inside people’s heads?inside people’s heads?

How do you know what a person is like?How do you know what a person is like? What terms do you use to describe people?What terms do you use to describe people?

What percentage of first year graduate students in What percentage of first year graduate students in the United States are enrolled in programs in each the United States are enrolled in programs in each

of the following fields of specizialization?of the following fields of specizialization?

Business AdministrationBusiness Administration ______%______% Computer ScienceComputer Science ______%______% EngineeringEngineering ______%______% Humanities and EducationHumanities and Education ______%______% LawLaw ______%______% Library ScienceLibrary Science ______%______% MedicineMedicine ______%______% Physical and Life SciencesPhysical and Life Sciences ______%______% Social Science and Social WorkSocial Science and Social Work ______%______%

Tom W. is of high intelligence although lacking in Tom W. is of high intelligence although lacking in true creativity. He has a need for order and clarity true creativity. He has a need for order and clarity and for neat and tidy systems in which every detail and for neat and tidy systems in which every detail finds its appropriate place. His writing is rather finds its appropriate place. His writing is rather dull and mechanical, occasionally enlivened by dull and mechanical, occasionally enlivened by somewhat corny puns and by flashes of somewhat corny puns and by flashes of imagination of the sci-fi type. He has a strong imagination of the sci-fi type. He has a strong drive for competence. He seems to have little feel drive for competence. He seems to have little feel and sympathy for other people and does not enjoy and sympathy for other people and does not enjoy interacting with others. Self-centered, he interacting with others. Self-centered, he nonetheless has a deep moral sense.nonetheless has a deep moral sense.

The preceding personality sketch of Tom W. The preceding personality sketch of Tom W. was written during Tom’s senior year in high was written during Tom’s senior year in high school by a psychologist on the basis of school by a psychologist on the basis of projective tests. Tom W. is currently a projective tests. Tom W. is currently a graduate student. Please rank the following graduate student. Please rank the following nine fields of graduate specialization in nine fields of graduate specialization in order of the likelihood that Tom W. is now a order of the likelihood that Tom W. is now a graduate student in each of these fields:graduate student in each of these fields:

Business AdministrationBusiness Administration ____________ Computer ScienceComputer Science ____________ EngineeringEngineering ____________ Humanities and EducationHumanities and Education ____________ LawLaw ____________ Library ScienceLibrary Science ____________ MedicineMedicine ____________ Physical and Life SciencesPhysical and Life Sciences ____________ Social Science and Social WorkSocial Science and Social Work ____________

In actual experiments, the correlation In actual experiments, the correlation between perceived similarity and judged between perceived similarity and judged likelihood is .97.likelihood is .97.

The correlation between likelihood and The correlation between likelihood and perceived base rate is -.65.perceived base rate is -.65.

Confirmed by many other experiments.Confirmed by many other experiments.

=> Our judgments about what things go => Our judgments about what things go together are not always veridical.together are not always veridical.

Actor vs. Observer conundrum:Actor vs. Observer conundrum:

People tend to attribute stable personality People tend to attribute stable personality qualities to others, rather than seeing their qualities to others, rather than seeing their behavior as the product of the situation.behavior as the product of the situation.

Ex.: Making Counter-Attitudinal ArgumentsEx.: Making Counter-Attitudinal Arguments

PANASPANAS

Some personality tests and conceptsSome personality tests and concepts

““The Big 5”---extroverted, friendly, orderly, relaxed, open-The Big 5”---extroverted, friendly, orderly, relaxed, open-mindedminded

MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory)MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) Self-efficacy (Bandura)Self-efficacy (Bandura) Need for cognitionNeed for cognition SDO (Social-dominance orientation)SDO (Social-dominance orientation) Oops: Bem: Masculinity/FemininityOops: Bem: Masculinity/Femininity ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Horoscopes (next slide)Horoscopes (next slide) Myers-Briggs (E or I, S or N, T or F and J or P)Myers-Briggs (E or I, S or N, T or F and J or P) EnneagramEnneagram Leadership through QualityLeadership through Quality

From the January 26 LA TimesFrom the January 26 LA Times

AquariusAquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Teach people (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Teach people how to treat you. Protect your reputation. It's how to treat you. Protect your reputation. It's a big part of how you'll be getting future a big part of how you'll be getting future business. When the family is getting along, business. When the family is getting along, the whole world looks brighter. Try to get the whole world looks brighter. Try to get feuding people to talk. feuding people to talk.

Wow! They really know a lot about me!Wow! They really know a lot about me!

Validity and ReliabilityValidity and Reliability

How similar (correlated) is this construct to How similar (correlated) is this construct to other constructs it should be close to and other constructs it should be close to and different is it from other constructs it should different is it from other constructs it should differ from? (Bootstrapping.)differ from? (Bootstrapping.)

Is it distinct?Is it distinct? Does it stay the same over time?Does it stay the same over time? Do the items in the scale vary together, or at Do the items in the scale vary together, or at

least in subscales?least in subscales?

What do people want fromWhat do people want fromeach other?each other?

LOTS OF THINGSLOTS OF THINGS Depending on: Depending on:

– Who they are.Who they are.– How they’re feeling at the moment.How they’re feeling at the moment.– Who the other person is.Who the other person is.– How they’re feeling at the moment.How they’re feeling at the moment.– What the situation is.What the situation is.

What do people want What do people want from each other?from each other?

Interpersonal Model: A Interpersonal Model: A SocialSocial Personality ModelPersonality Model

COMMUNION

AGENCY

Personal motives with respect

to other people.

Interpersonal Model: A Interpersonal Model: A SocialSocial Personality ModelPersonality Model

COMMUNION

AGENCY

ISOLATION

SUBMISSION

Six Propositions about MotivesSix Propositions about Motives

1. Interpersonal motives are hierarchical1. Interpersonal motives are hierarchical– Motive: high level Motive: high level – Personal strivings: medium levelPersonal strivings: medium level– Goal: more specificGoal: more specific

2. Interpersonal motives fall into two broad, 2. Interpersonal motives fall into two broad, abstract categories. abstract categories.

3. The earliest expressions of communion and 3. The earliest expressions of communion and agency appear in infancy with the child’s agency appear in infancy with the child’s attachment to caretakers.attachment to caretakers.

Six PropositionsSix Propositions

4. Interpersonal behaviors are usually motivated.4. Interpersonal behaviors are usually motivated.- Goals may vary.- Goals may vary.

5. A particular behavior may stem from a 5. A particular behavior may stem from a combination of motives. combination of motives. – Advice giving: displaying competence (agentic), Advice giving: displaying competence (agentic),

influencing others (agentic), connecting with others influencing others (agentic), connecting with others (communion)(communion)

6.Co-existing motives may be compatible or may 6.Co-existing motives may be compatible or may conflict.conflict.- Competing with friendsCompeting with friends

Behaviors as well as MotivesBehaviors as well as MotivesCan be ClassifiedCan be Classified

COMMUNION

AGENCY

ISOLATION, INDIFFERENCE

SUBMISSION, YIELDING

Connectedness, affiliation, warmth, love, nurturance

Influence, control, dominance, power, status

BEHAVIOR IS AMBIGUOUSBEHAVIOR IS AMBIGUOUS

The motive gives meaning to ambiguous The motive gives meaning to ambiguous behaviors.behaviors.– Chatting = > “Have you heard the Word of the Chatting = > “Have you heard the Word of the

Lord today?” (learning an unexpected motive)Lord today?” (learning an unexpected motive) Because ambiguous behavior allows Because ambiguous behavior allows

different interpretations, it can lead to different interpretations, it can lead to miscommunication between interactantsmiscommunication between interactants– ““It’s cold in here.” It’s cold in here.” – ““I had a bad day today.”I had a bad day today.”

Pulls for ComplementarityPulls for Complementarity

COMMUNION

AGENCY

The complement of a behavior is the reaction that would satisfy the motive behind that behavior.

Hostile behavior comes from frustrated Hostile behavior comes from frustrated motives what the motives are.motives what the motives are.

Hostile behaviors: assertive participants Hostile behaviors: assertive participants working with dominating partners produced working with dominating partners produced 3 hostile comments/interaction (desert 3 hostile comments/interaction (desert survival problem). (All other conditions < .5)survival problem). (All other conditions < .5)

But NOT if believed partner non-human. But NOT if believed partner non-human. (Shechtman, 2002) (Shechtman, 2002)

Examples: Advice Giving vs. EmpathyExamples: Advice Giving vs. Empathy

Frustrated motives = > interpersonal Frustrated motives = > interpersonal problemsproblems– Lack of capacityLack of capacity– Conflicting motivesConflicting motives– Ambiguous behaviorAmbiguous behavior– Outdated ScriptsOutdated Scripts– Constraints of realityConstraints of reality