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Predicting unpredictability: do measures of interpersonal rigidity/flexibility and distress predict intraindividual
Thane M Erickson1, Michelle G Newman, Aaron L Pincus
1Department of Psychology, Seattle Pacific University, Suite 107, Seattle, WA 98119, USA. erickt@spu.edu
Interpersonal distress is linked to unpredictable social behavior, not rigidity. This finding challenges existing theories on personality and adjustment, highlighting the importance of behavioral variability.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Personality Psychology
Background:
- Maladjusted individuals may show problematic intraindividual variability in social behavior.
- Variability can be high (unpredictable), low (rigid), or contextually inappropriate (noncomplementary).
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically test if interpersonal distress and rigidity predict different types of social behavior variability.
- To examine the role of social perception variability in mediating distress-behavior links.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Participants rated interpersonal scenarios and their behavioral responses.
- Study 2: A subset tracked social behaviors in naturalistic interactions over a week.
- Both studies used measures of interpersonal functioning.
Main Results:
- Interpersonal distress consistently predicted high intraindividual behavioral variability.
- Little support was found for the theory or measurement of rigidity.
- Variability in social perceptions partially mediated the relationship between distress and behavioral variability.
Conclusions:
- Interpersonal distress is primarily associated with unpredictable social behavior, challenging rigidity-based theories.
- Dynamic social behavior variability, influenced by perception, is crucial for understanding personality and adjustment.
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