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Assertiveness expectancies: how hard people push depends on the consequences they predict
1Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA. da358@columbia.edu
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|November 26, 2008
Summary
People’s predictions about the outcomes of assertive behavior, or assertiveness expectancies, explain differences in assertiveness. These expectancies influence social and workplace interactions, even when values are similar.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Organizational Behavior
Background:
- Assertiveness in interpersonal conflict and negotiations is influenced by various factors.
- Existing models often focus on motivation and social values.
- Individual differences in predicting behavioral consequences are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explain varying levels of assertiveness in interpersonal interactions.
- To introduce and test the concept of assertiveness expectancies.
- To explore the role of expectancies alongside values in assertiveness.
Main Methods:
- Defined assertiveness expectancies as predictions of social and instrumental consequences of assertive behavior.
- Investigated the form of assertiveness expectancies, identifying an optimal point for benefits.
- Conducted four studies linking individual differences in expectancies to various measures of assertiveness (self-report, behavioral preferences, negotiation behavior, workplace ratings).
Main Results:
- Assertiveness expectancies follow a pattern where benefits increase up to a point and then decline.
- Individuals differ in their perception of the optimal level of assertiveness for maximum benefits.
- These individual differences in expectancies were significantly linked to actual assertiveness across multiple contexts, independent of social values.
Conclusions:
- Assertiveness expectancies are a crucial factor in understanding individual differences in assertiveness.
- Expectancies provide a complementary perspective to motivation-based models of assertiveness.
- Incorporating expectancies alongside values offers a more comprehensive psychological model for interpersonal assertiveness.
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