Showing papers on "Interpersonal relationship published in 1993"

Social psychology across cultures

Abstract: Preface Introduction Some First Steps in Extending the Database Culture: The Neglected Concept The Search for Universals of Social Behaviour Social Cognition Communication and Interpersonal Relations Inter-group Relations Organizational Behaviour Indigenous Psychologies The Characteristics of Cross-Cultural Interaction The Consequences of Cross-Cultural Contact Discerning the Future

Dimensions of Interpersonal Relation Among Australian Children and Implications for Psychological Well-Being

Abstract: Three dimensions of interpersonal relations among Australian school children were hypothesized as reflecting tendencies (a) to bully others, (b) to be victimized by others, and (c) to relate to others in a prosocial and cooperative manner. School children from two secondary schools (School A, n = 285; School B, n = 877) answered 20 questions assessing styles of interpersonal relations. Factor analyses of the item scores obtained from each of the two schools provided highly similar results, supporting the factorial independence of the three hypothesized dimensions. Students attending School B answered additional questions to assess self-esteem, level of happiness, and liking for school. Generally low levels of self-esteem were found among children who reported being more victimized than others, and high self-esteem among children practicing more prosocial behavior. The tendency to bully others was correlated negatively with happiness and liking school, but no relationship was found between this variable and self-esteem.

Integrating evolutionary and social exchange perspectives on relationships: Effects of gender, self-appraisal, and involvement level on mate selection criteria.

Abstract: Two studies examined which traits males and females desire in partners at various levels of relationship development in an attempt to integrate evolutionary models (which emphasize sex differences) and social exchange models (which emphasize self-appraisals). In Study 1, male and female students specified their minimum criteria on 24 traits for a date, sexual partner, exclusive dating partner, marriage partner, and 1-night sexual liaison. They also rated themselves on the same dimensions. Sex differences were greatest for casual sexual liaisons, with mens criteria being consistently lower than women's. Men's self-ratings were generally less correlated with their criteria for a 1-night stand, as well

Do You Know What You Look Like?: Interpersonal Relationships In Education

Abstract: Much of the work in this book has originated from an international project called "Education for Teachers" Educational researchers from Holland, USA, Australia and Israel look at an important element of teacher behaviour - that is the interpersonal actions which create and maintain a positive classroom atmosphere The book uses systems theory and family therapy to analyze what happens in classrooms, looking at classes as "big families" It provides a simple way to collect feedback from participants in communication in education (students, teachers, principles, student-teacher supervisors) Thus for example, differences between students' perceptions and the teachers self-perception of the teacher communication style are are formed This feedback can be used to improve teaching The book reviews research on communication styles of teachers in secondary education with the help of the questionnaire on teacher interaction and includes implications for teacher programs

Adolescents and their friends.

Abstract: Friendships represent an important context for adolescent social development. A review of the extant literature reveals that friendships of adolescents differ in several respects from those of younger children. During adolescence, three dimensions of friendship affect the course of individual development: having friends, who one's friends are, and the quality of the friendship. Still, much remains to be learned about the nature and functions of friendship during the second decade of life, and a progressive research agenda is proposed to address this lacuna.

Interpersonal problems, attachment styles, and outcome in brief dynamic psychotherapy

Abstract: The Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) has been used to identify dysfunctional patterns in interpersonal interactions. Interpersonal problems can be organized in two dimensions, and the two-dimensional space can be divided into eight equal sectors (octants). Subscales of the IIP describe each of these octants. The instrument has been used to identify (a) interpersonal problems that are discussed most often in a brief dynamic psychotherapy and (b) problems that are treated most easily. The results show that problems in the "exploitable" octant improve most frequently, whereas problems in the "dominating," "vindictive," and "cold" octants do not improve as readily. Attachment styles in adulthood were examined (following a model proposed by Bowlby), and different attachment styles were found to correspond to different types of interpersonal problems. Finally, these variables were related to the ability to describe other people clearly. The article also discusses implications for brief dynamic psychotherapy.

The effects of physical abuse on children's social relationships.

Abstract: Social behavior and peer status of 87 physically abused 8-12-year-old urban children were compared with those of 87 case-matched nonmaltreated classmates. Peer nominations and peer ratings were collected in classrooms, social networks were assessed by child interview, family variables were assessed by interviewing mothers, and behavior problems were rated by parents and teachers. Significant findings were that abused children had lower peer status and less positive reciprocity with peers chosen as friends; they were rated by peers as more aggressive and less cooperative and by parents and teachers as more disturbed; and their social networks showed more insularity, atypicality, and negativity. Social behavior as perceived by peers accounted for a significant portion of the variance in social status; global disturbance measures did not add to this association. Results are discussed in terms of a context of family violence in the development of social maladjustment.

The role of attachments, intimacy, and loneliness in the etiology and maintenance of sexual offending

Abstract: Within our general theory of sex offending, the vulnerability of the offender is a critical element. This vulnerability arises primarily from poor quality attachment bonds between the child, who is to become a sex offender, and his parents. Poor attachments lead to low self-confidence, poor social skills and lack of empathy for others. Such deficits make the transition at puberty to peer relationships more difficult and make attractive those social messages that objectify others, portray people as instruments of sexual pleasure, emphasize power and control over others, and deny the need for social skills and compassion for others. Poor quality attachments also provide the basis for loneliness as an adult and poor intimacy in relationships. Emotional loneliness breeds aggression and a self-serving life style. The present paper attempts to integrate all these processes and to demonstrate a connection between poor quality attachments, loneliness and intimacy, and the propensity to sexually offend.

Effects of Gender Role Expectations on the Social Support Process

Abstract: Based on a model of interactive coping activation, we review the impact of gender in the giving and receiving of emotion- and problem-focused social support. The research suggests that the female role (emphasizing nurturance and emotional expressiveness) makes it easier for women to activate social support from close relations as well as to provide social support; whereas the male role (emphasizing achievement, autonomy, emotional control) makes it difficult for men to seek and obtain social support. Type of support required (social-emotional vs. instrumental) may moderate when men and women are more effective in providing social support. The gender-linked model of social support activation may be useful in diagnosing interpersonal problems in providing and obtaining social support.

Basic Research and Practical Problems: The Promise of a "Functional" Personality and Social Psychology

Abstract: In this article, based on the 1992 presidential address to the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, the author illustrates how research in personality and social psychology can address problems that confront society. To do so, he draws on a program of research on volunteerism. Every year; millions of people volunteer to devote much time and energy to helping others by volunteering, for example, to provide companionship to the elderly, tutoring to the illiterate, or health care to the sick. Guided by a functional approach to motivation, the author and his colleagues are engaged in a coordinated program of basic and applied investigations, conducted in the field and the laboratory, to examine personal and social motivations that give rise to the sustained, ongoing helping relationships of volunteerism. Then, applying lessons learned from building such bridges between basic research and practical problems, the author examines the practical and theoretical promises of a functionally orient approach ...

Normative Images of Communication Media Mass and Interpersonal Channels in the New Media Environment

Abstract: This study is an extension of earlier uses and gratifications research that identified normative images of mass media. The article considers how well 12 different mass and interpersonal communication channels fill 11 communication needs. A sample of 649 adults completed self-administered questionnaires, the responses of which were submitted to cluster analysis, which identified five channel clusters: Video, Interpersonal, Print, Computer, and Audio. In general, the Interpersonal cluster (conversation and telephone) was rated the most useful at filling various needs, with Computer rated the least useful. Consistent with previous research, clusters that were most useful at filling personal needs were rated highest in social presence. The discussion relates this study's findings to previous research and notes implications for research on the newer communication technologies.

Why Siblings Are Important Agents of Cognitive Development: A Comparison of Siblings and Peers

Abstract: This study explored older siblings' and peers' influence on young children's cognitive development. Although we anticipated many similarities in siblings' and peers' influence, our principal goal was to test the hypothesis that siblings are unique agents of cognitive development. Young children, their older siblings, and an older, familiar peer first participated in an unstructured building session where each built their own construction. Then, one of the older children taught the younger child how to copy a model windmill. Finally, the younger child was given an individual posttest in which he or she copied the windmill. Although there were many similarities in older siblings' and peers' guidance, the results highlighted the uniqueness of the sibling relationship. In the unstructured building session, young children were more likely to observe, imitate, and consult their older siblings than their older peers, and older siblings were more likely than older peers to provide them with guidance spontaneously. In the teaching session, older siblings provided more explanations and positive feedback and gave learners more control of the task than older peers. However, older siblings' behavior was not independent from the learners', as young children often prompted the siblings' explanations and pressured them into giving them more control of the task. These differences in teaching and learning strategies affected young children's task mastery; Children taught by siblings obtained higher posttest scores than children taught by peers. The discussion interprets these findings within the context of shared and unique functions of siblings and peers in cognitive development and highlights the role of the learner in promoting his or her own development.

Social skills interventions for children.

Abstract: Children who exhibit social skills deficits experience short-term, and often long-term, negative consequences. Reasons for such deficits, which have treatment utility, are reviewed and a number of procedures for treating children's social skills deficits are examined. In this article, these procedures are categorized into one of three broad and somewhat overlapping treatment approaches: operant conditioning, social learning, or cognitive-behavioral procedures. Descriptions of specific treatment procedures are provided, along with an examination of the effectiveness data, to support the various approaches to enhancing children's social behavior. The research literature provides strong support for the use of operant and social learning techniques, particularly with preschool and elementary school children.

Interpersonal and psychological predictors of parasocial interaction with different television performers

Abstract: The study examined the relationship of interpersonal homophily and self‐esteem with the development of parasocial interaction. “Attitude”; homophily was found to be the strongest predictor, among the independent variables, of parasocial interaction for all three groups of television performers. The results also indicated that certain dimensions of a person's self‐esteem helped to predict and to explain parasocial interaction. The study showed how an integration of interpersonal and mass communication theories contributes to our knowledge of parasocial interaction.

Australian school children's self appraisal of interpersonal relations : The bullying experience

Abstract: The extent and nature of bullying among South Australian primary school children and their self appraisals of peer relations were investigated in a survey of 412 primary school children between the ages of 7 to 13 years. It was found that 10% of boys and 6% of girls were subject to peer group bullying and for 8% of such children the bullying episodes lasted 6 months or more. Factor analysis of styles of interpersonal relating amongst children identified three independent factors including a tendency to bully, to be victimised and to act in a pro-social manner. The tendency to be victimised correlated negatively with self appraisals of the number of friends, popularity, happiness at school and feelings of safety at school. The findings are discussed in relation to research linking negative self appraisals of interpersonal competence with isolation and proneness to depression in later years.

In a different mode: Masculine styles of communicating closeness

Abstract: A number of contributors to Journal of Applied Communication Research have demonstrated communication research and theory can inform practical conduct in sundry situations. Less addressed has been the pragmatic potential of research to reform its own practice. Believing research is ideally self‐reflexive, we apply principles of scholarly inquiry to evaluate knowledge about gender and communication in close relationships. We document a prevalent bias that favors feminine styles of relating, characterized by verbal, emotional disclosure, and that devalues activity‐focused modes empirically more associated with masculinity. We then trace the presence of this bias in textbooks on gender and communication and interpersonal relationships, and we suggest teaching that relies on a non‐inclusive model of intimacy may misguide students’ communicative expectations and interpretations and may misdirect practical conduct in friendships and romantic relationships. Finally, we return to existing scholarship to ...

The Misunderstood Caregiver? A Qualitative Study of the Male Caregiver of Alzheimer's Disease Victims

Abstract: In-depth interviews with 15 male caregivers from diverse backgrounds caring for their wives with Alzheimer's disease revealed the following common themes: commitment, social isolation, the loss of companionship, control, sense of accomplishment, a problem-solving approach, burden lessening with years of caregiving, and limited expectations of children. A generated typology of male caregivers included four types: the worker, the labor of love, the sense of duty, and at the crossroads.

The emotional origins of social understanding

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the origins of social understanding. Drawing upon philosophical writings, I highlight those features of affectively patterned interpersonal relations that are especially important for a very young child's growing awareness and knowledge of itself and other people as people with their own minds. If we were without our biologically based capacities for co‐ordinated emotional relatedness with others, we should lack something essential for acquiring the concept of ‘persons’ who have subjective experiences and psychological attitudes towards the world. I illustrate some implications of this thesis by reviewing the phenomena of early childhood autism.

Socialization of emotion: Pathway to preschoolers' emotional and social competence

Abstract: Aspects of 47 preschoolers'emotional competence—their patterns of emotional expressiveness and reactions to others' emotion displays—were observed in two settings, with mother and with peers, and their general social competence was rated by their preschool teachers. Intrapersonal and interpersonal (i.e., socialization correlates of children's emotional competence were identified, and a causal model incorporating direct and indirect influences on social competence was evaluated. Maternal patterns of expressiveness, reactions to children's emotion displays, and self-reported affective environment were associated with children's emotional competence in the preschool. Children's emotional competence with mother predicted their emotional competence in the preschool somewhat less strongly, suggesting that emotional competence may differ according to the interpersonal relationship studied. Taken as a whole, findings reassert the importance of the domain of emotional expression to the development of social competence.

The structure of interpersonal trust in the workplace.

Abstract: The importance of each of five underlying interpersonal trust components (competence, consistency, integrity, loyalty, and openness) as they affect trust among supervisors, subordinates, and peers ...

Social Relationships and Mortality Among the Elderly

Abstract: A growing literature documents the positive effect of social relationships on health, in general, and in reducing mortality, in particular. Much remains to be learned about which relationships have this effect, particularly among the elderly. This research, a secondary analysis of a national sample of community-dwelling elderly aged 70 and over, addresses these questions. Data come from the Longitudinal Study on Aging. Five scales constructed from relationship questions asked in the survey are related to respondent mortality over a 4-year follow-up using multiple logistic regression . The research confirms that certain relationships appear to reduce subsequent mortality: going to church/temple, volunteering, seeing friends or neighbors, and talking with them on the phone (socioexpressive relationships). The effect can be seen among healthy and more infirm elders. Helping relationships and household and kin relationships do not seem to reduce the risk of elder moriality.

School Reentry for the Child with Chronic Illness

Abstract: Chronic illness affects up to 20% of children in the school-age population, 10% of whom are severely compromised. Reintegrating these children is a growing problem for schools, children and their families, and health care professionals, as it has become apparent that school adjustment is highly significant in the children's overall adjustment. This article focuses on the issues of reintegrating the chronically ill child into the school setting, the types of school problems encountered, the process of school reentry, with illustrative case material, and the implications for the school and family of returning the chronically ill child to school.

Alcohol consumption and work performance.

Abstract: This study examines the work performance of 136 males, including both self-reports and reports of workplace collaterals. Comparisons are made on several dimensions of work performance and different levels of alcohol consumption. Different levels of drinking are not associated with scales of self-reported work performance, but relatively heavy drinkers are less frequently absent and late to work than their lighter drinking counterparts. Collateral reports of work performance, however, indicate that heavier drinkers are more likely to score lower on self-direction at work, conflict avoidance at work and interpersonal relations at work. The relationship of alcohol consumption to the technical aspects of work performance is less clear. There is, however, an overall negative relationship between alcohol consumption and technical aspects of work performance as indicated by workplace collateral reports. The implications for the design of workplace intervention programs are considered.

Using Focus Groups to Develop Health Surveys: An Example from Research on Social Relationships and AIDS-Preventive Behavior

Abstract: Focus group data can inform the choice of words or phrases in a questionnaire, the construction of items to measure a given concept, the formation of new hypotheses, and the development of survey procedures. To date, few examples exist to show researchers in health behavior and health education how they might use focus groups for these purposes. This paper provides an example of group discussions that were held with gay and bisexual men on the topic of their experiences of the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic and illustrates the many ways that focus groups assist in questionnaire development.