Counselor Values: A National Survey

A national sample (n = 479) of counselors representative of the 1993 American Counseling Association membership was surveyed regarding their value orientations in four domains: universal values, mental health values, individualistic-collectivistic values, and religious-spiritual values. Results yielded a multifaceted, generally concordant (although by no means unanimous) value profile for professional counselors across these value domains, presenting an overall content pattern that might be globally summarized as a strong core valuing of holistic-humanistic empowerment related to personal development and interpersonal and social concern. Implications for counseling practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Social Anxiety, Emotional Intelligence, and Interpersonal Adjustment

There has been no published investigation made of the relationship between social anxiety and emotional intelligence (EI), or of their shared impact upon interpersonal adjustment. This study examined these questions using structural equation modeling with self-report data from a large nonclinical sample (N = 2629). EI was found to be highly related to social interaction anxiety, but not performance anxiety. A model permitting these three predictors to inter-correlate indicated that the EI factor was the dominant predictor of interpersonal adjustment, substantially reducing the unique contribution made by interaction anxiety. This pattern reflected the principal contributions made to interaction anxiety by the interpersonal and, particularly, intrapersonal domains of EI.     

Virtual social interactions in social anxiety--the impact of sex, gaze, and interpersonal distance

In social interactions, interpersonal distance between interaction partners plays an important role in determining the status of the relationship. Interpersonal distance is an important nonverbal behavior, and is used to regulate personal space in a complex interplay with other nonverbal behaviors such as eye gaze. In social anxiety, studies regarding the impact of interpersonal distance on within-situation avoidance behavior are so far rare. Thus the present study aimed to scrutinize the relationship between gaze direction, sex, interpersonal distance, and social anxiety in social interactions. Social interactions were modeled in a virtual-reality (VR) environment, where 20 low and 19 high socially anxious women were confronted with approaching male and female characters, who stopped in front of the participant, either some distance away or close to them, and displayed either a direct or an averted gaze. Gaze and head movements, as well as heart rate, were measured as indices of avoidance behavior and fear reactions. High socially anxious participants showed a complex pattern of avoidance behavior: when the avatar was standing farther away, high socially anxious women avoided gaze contact with male avatars showing a direct gaze. Furthermore, they showed avoidance behavior (backward head movements) in response to male avatars showing a direct gaze, regardless of the interpersonal distance. Overall, the current study proved that VR social interactions might be a very useful tool for investigating avoidance behavior of socially anxious individuals in highly controlled situations. This might also be the first step in using VR social interactions in clinical protocols for the therapy of social anxiety disorder.     

Poor social performance of lonely people: lacking a skill or adopting a role?

A substantial literature has shown that lonely people differ from nonlonely people on a variety of measures of social performance. These differences have usually been conceptualized as a social skills deficit, which implies that lonely people lack the ability to perform appropriate and effective social behavior. Rather than a lack of this ability, the authors hypothesize that the adoption of passive interpersonal roles predisposes lonely people to exhibit inadequate performance. In order to test this hypothesis, lonely and nonlonely subjects were assigned to one of two roles: They either listened (Condition Li) to an interaction partner describe a personal problem or they themselves described a personal problem (Condition Pr) to their partner. The subjects' interpersonal role produced a substantial effect on their social behavior. Subjects who listened to their partner describe a problem generated more solutions to a set of hypothetical situations, attended to their partners more adequately, and conversed longer than did subjects who described a personal problem. In contrast, lonely subjects did not differ from nonlonely subjects in their social performance within each particular role. Lonely and nonlonely subjects did differ, however, in their subjective evaluations of themselves and of their performance. These results illustrate the need for research to address both the interpersonal and the intrapersonal bases of social performance.     

Construct validation of individuating and relating autonomy orientations in culturally Chinese adolescents

Adolescent individuating and relating autonomies were compared to the concepts of detachment and public conformity. Participants included 573 junior high and 673 senior high school students. Each type of autonomy had a distinctive function in intrapsychic or interpersonal domains and clearly differed from detachment and public conformity. In the competing model analysis, individuating autonomy was more associated than relating autonomy with adjustment variables in the personal domain, such as the global and personal aspects of self-esteem, the personal aspect of happiness, and internalizing problems (mainly anxiety and depression). Relating autonomy was more associated than individuating autonomy with adjustment variables in the interpersonal domain such as social skills and externalizing problems (mainly aggression and delinquent behaviour).     

A transactional approach to social anxiety and the genesis of interpersonal closeness: Self, partner, and social context

It remains unclear whether social anxiety interferes with the generation of closeness during initial encounters. We addressed the question of whether perceived closeness between strangers differs as a function of dyad characteristics (i.e., self and partner levels of social anxiety) and social context. We conducted an experiment with 90 participants randomly assigned to either a 45-minute personal disclosure or small-talk dyadic conversation. Multilevel modeling results yielded a 3-way interaction, such that the effect of social anxiety on closeness generated during the interaction was moderated by social anxiety reported by interaction partners and social context. In the personal disclosure condition, perceived closeness was greatest when the most socially anxious individuals interacted with each other. In the small-talk condition, perceived closeness was greatest when the least socially anxious individuals interacted with each other. Across conditions, partners with substantial differences in social anxiety (i.e., mixed dyads) reported relatively less closeness than partners with similar levels of social anxiety. Social anxiety effects were not attributable to depressive symptoms or physical attraction to partners. These findings suggest that neglecting specific qualities of interaction partners and social situational factors may lead to spurious conclusions in understanding interpersonal outcomes related to social anxiety.     

Using Taoist Principle of the Unity of Opposites to Explain Conflict and Peace

This article explains the principle of the unity of opposites in Taoist psychology and its implications for understanding social cognition and the meaning of Taoist awareness in human domains. In addition, it describes the distinctions between personal awareness and Taoist awareness. It is maintained that psychological conflict stems from applying the personal awareness to evaluating, explaining, and adjusting our mental and interpersonal relationships, whereas peace stems from following the Taoist principle.     

Some predictors of Yugoslavian adolescents' problems

The purpose of this study was to examine the relative contribution of personal (locus of control, extraversion-intraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism), interpersonal (control, nurture, and intimacy in relationships with parents and teacher), and demographic variables (family setting, family structure, school, educational level of mother and father) to the prediction of adolescents' problems in the following domains: "school," "after school," "myself," "me and others," and "general." The subjects were 391 adolescents of both sexes (mean age = 17.5 years). Regression analysis demonstrated that the personal and interpersonal variables were better predictors of adolescents' problems than were demographic variables. The best predictors were neuroticism (personal variable) and nurture of father (interpersonal variable).     

Conceptualizing Personal and Extrapersonal Associations

We recently introduced the term ‘extrapersonal associations’ and defined them as information that is available in memory but that does not contribute to one's attitudes toward a given object ( Olson & Fazio, 2004 ). Here, we review our conceptualization of the term, contrast it to our conceptualization of attitudes as personal associations, and briefly summarize evidence that the Implicit Association Test, as it is traditionally employed, is influenced by extrapersonal associations. We discuss recent critiques of the concept and in so doing, elaborate upon the essence of the personal versus extrapersonal distinction. We conclude with speculations on the nature of extrapersonal associations, their origins, and relationship to attitudes.     

大学生社会比较与抑郁：人际自立影响的性别差异

社会比较是人类生活中的普遍现象。通过对701名大学生的问卷调查,研究分析了大学生社会比较、抑郁、人际自立以及性别间的影响关系,结果发现：大学生抑郁与能力比较显著正相关,与人际自立显著负相关。多重调节模型分析表明,人际自立显著调节能力比较与抑郁关系,且有性别差异。低人际自立男大学生,能力比较显著影响其抑郁程度。建议重点关注低人际自立男大学生,及时化解其由于社会比较产生的负性情绪,避免陷入抑郁“泥潭”。     

组织内领导越轨行为研究：概念、诱因与结果

领导越轨行为是指领导者在工作场所中故意违反重要的组织规范的行为。通过整合分析组织内越轨行为和领导行为两个领域的相关研究发现, 领导越轨行为的诱因大致包括个体因素(个性特征、个体知觉和人口学变量)和情境因素(组织文化、工作特征和人际影响)两类, 并且主要通过社会比较、社会心理和社会交换三条路径进一步影响下属的工作绩效。未来研究应从行为客体(组织-人际)和行为动机(利己-利他)两个角度对领导越轨行为的内涵进行纵深拓展, 并进一步考察不同诱因的交互影响以及领导越轨行为的作用机制。     

Cultural differences in emotion regulation during self-reflection on negative personal experiences

Reflecting on negative personal experiences has implications for mood that may vary as a function of specific domains (e.g., achievement vs. interpersonal) and cultural orientation (e.g., interdependence vs. independence). This study investigated cultural differences in the social-cognitive and affective processes undertaken as Easterners and Westerners reflected on negative interpersonal and performance experiences. One hundred Asian Americans and 92 European-American college students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: interpersonal rejection, achievement failure, or a control condition. Results revealed that Asian Americans experienced greater distress than European Americans after self-reflecting over a failed interpersonal experience, suggesting cultural sensitivity in the relational domain. Consistent with theoretical predictions, analysis of the social cognitive and affective processes that participants engaged in during self-reflection provided some evidence that self-enhancement may buffer distress for European Americans, while emotion suppression may be adaptive for Asian Americans.     

大学生社会比较与抑郁：人际自立影响的性别差异

社会比较是人类生活中的普遍现象。通过对701名大学生的问卷调查,研究分析了大学生社会比较、抑郁、人际自立以及性别间的影响关系,结果发现：大学生抑郁与能力比较显著正相关,与人际自立显著负相关。多重调节模型分析表明,人际自立显著调节能力比较与抑郁关系,且有性别差异。低人际自立男大学生,能力比较显著影响其抑郁程度。建议重点关注低人际自立男大学生,及时化解其由于社会比较产生的负性情绪,避免陷入抑郁“泥潭”。     

Relationships between quality of life and finding benefits in a diagnosis of colorectal cancer

This longitudinal study investigated relations between benefit‐finding domains and outcome measures. Participants were 1,757 individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer. A written questionnaire and telephone interview were completed at 5‐months (Time 1) and 12‐months post‐diagnosis (Time 2). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed three psychometrically sound factors: personal growth, interpersonal growth, and acceptance. Results of regression analyses were conducted and found that Time 1 benefit‐finding domains accounted for significant amounts of variance in Time 1 positive affect and cancer‐related quality of life (both the aggregate score and its social/family, functional, and colorectal cancer‐specific well‐being subscales). Time 1 personal growth also predicted Time 1 psychological distress. After controlling for Time 1 positive affect, personal growth continued to predict Time 2 positive affect. Results delineate the benefit‐finding domains in the context of colorectal cancer and their differential links with outcome measures cross‐sectionally, and longitudinally. These findings have implications for theory building and the measurement of benefit‐finding.     

Locus of control in three behavioural domains: Factor structure and correlates of the “spheres of control” scale

The “Spheres of Control” (SOC) scale and the extraversion, neuroticism and lie scales from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) were administered to a large sample (N = 576) of male subjects in the age range 30–65 yr. The factor structure of the SOC was examined by testing the goodness-of-fit of a series of confirmatory factor models using LISREL. The results supported Paulhus' three-dimensional formulation of perceived control in the personal, interpersonal and socio-political behavioural domains, but the personal and interpersonal domains were found to be closely related. There was also evidence that the internally-worded SOC items discriminated the three domains of control more clearly than the externally-worded items; the latter showed high loadings on a general factor. The SOC scales showed only moderate reliabilities.Relations between the SOC and EPQ measures were examined by means of two canonical correlation analyses. These analyses demonstrated: (i) that SOC personal and interpersonal control scales were positively related to extraversion and negatively related to neuroticism, but control in the socio-political domain was not predicted by the Eysenck measures; and (ii) that the general-factor effects apparent in SOC responses were related to neuroticism and, to a lesser extent, to the lie scale. These results are discussed in relation to the rationale underlying the development of the SOC scale and other relevant literature.     

Complementarity of interpersonal behaviors in dyadic interactions

An important assumption of interpersonal theory is that during social interactions the behavior of one person tends to invite complementary behavior from the other person. Past research examining complementarity has usually used either confederates or fictitious interaction partners in their designs and has produced inconsistent results. The current study used observational ratings of behaviors of 158 participants as they interacted with partners across three different dyadic social situations. Randomization tests of hypothesized order relations found that the behaviors exhibited during these interactions tended to occur in a circular pattern predicted by the interpersonal circumplex. These tests also indicated support for Leary's (1957) orientation of the control and affiliation dimensions of the interpersonal circumplex and Carson's (1969) notion that dominant behavior induces submissive responses and friendly behavior encourages friendly responses.     

The relation of self-supporting personality, enacted social support, and perceived social support

This study examines the relational model of self-supporting personality, enacted social support, and perceived social support in a sample of 482 Chinese high school students using the Self-Supporting Personality Scale for Adolescent Students (SSPS-AS), the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Results from the cross-sectional structural equation analyses revealed that interpersonal initiative, interpersonal openness, personal openness and personal initiative predicted perceived social support through the mediating role of enacted social support, while interpersonal responsibility, interpersonal flexibility, and personal initiative predicted perceived social support directly. Thus, the hypothesized relational model of personality, enacted social support, and perceived social support was supported. The positive relational schema may be the main underpinning of the relation of self-supporting personality, enacted social support, and perceived social support. Culture also may influence the relation.     

Linking superiority bias in the interpersonal and intergroup domains

The author conducted 2 studies to explore the link between superiority bias in the interpersonal and intergroup domains. Australian university students evaluated the extent to which various personality traits were more or less applicable to themselves than to other Australian university students in general. They then evaluated the extent to which the same traits were more or less applicable to Australians than to people from other countries in general. As expected, the more participants evaluated themselves as superior to other university students, the more they evaluated Australians as a whole as superior to people from other countries. This link between interpersonal and intergroup superiority biases explained 22.1% of variance in Study I and 33.6% of variance in Study 2. The author interprets the results of the 2 studies as support for fundamental principles of social identity theory: (a) that self-concept consists of not only one's personal self but also the social groups to which one belongs and (b) that people are motivated to view both levels of self in a relatively positive fashion.     

社会阶层信号及其对人际水平社会互动的影响

社会阶层信号是指个体据以感知和判断他人社会阶层的一切线索, 人们通过加工这些微妙的线索便能判断出他人的社会阶层, 而他人的社会阶层在很大程度上决定着人们在人际水平的社会互动行为。以穿着打扮、面部特征和说话特点为例, 说明社会阶层信号对个体判断他人阶层的影响, 在此基础上围绕社会交换、社会公平和社会认同这三个动机视角归纳了社会阶层信号对人际水平社会互动的不同影响。针对社会阶层信号本身, 将来有必要探讨社会阶层信号功能弱化的问题; 由于社会阶层信号与社会阶层这一概念的相关度较高, 未来研究有必要阐述二者的联系与区别; 鉴于目前少有研究考察第三方的社会阶层信号如何影响人际水平社会互动的问题, 探索互动中第三方社会阶层信号的影响及其机制将会是对社会阶层心理学研究的一个重要推进。     

Self-Construction and Interpersonal Distances of Juveniles Living in Residential Communities

Within the framework of constructivism, and more specifically personal construct psychology, the current research aims at exploring self-construction and interpersonal relationships of juveniles living in residential communities. It proposes a method of doing so that is coherent with the framework adopted. Repertory grids were used with 59 youths, ages 9 to 20 years, and 176 significant others (father, mother, houseparent, and a teacher or employer); interpersonal distances were measured. Identification with others and an authority, perceived change, self and social acceptance, social negativity, self-fulfillment, commonality, and sociality led to the discrimination of different profiles that indicate different (inter)personal configurations.