Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Role of the Self in the Initiation and Course of Social Interaction

  • Chapter
Compatible and Incompatible Relationships

Part of the book series: Springer Series in Social Psychology ((SSSOC))

Abstract

The notion that people select their friends is perhaps trite. No one would doubt that individuals have a say in deciding which acquaintances will become friends and which will not. Often this process may be portrayed as something akin to a beauty contest: Individuals acquire a certain asset value contingent upon the socially desirable characteristics they possess, and this value determines their access to rewarding social relations. If such an account were correct, then friendship, social activity, and satisfaction should reveal markedly skewed distributions, with those enjoying an abundance of desirable traits being most rewarded.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Adams, G. R. (1979). Beautiful is good: A test of the “kernel of truth” hypothesis. Unpublished manuscript, Utah State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, S. M., & Bern, S. L. (1981). Sex typing and androgyny in dyadic interaction: Individual differences in responsiveness to physical attractiveness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 74 – 86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, C. A. (1980). Motivational and performance deficits as a function of attributional style. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Stanford University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aronson, E. (1969). Some antecedents of interpersonal attraction. In W. J. Arnold & D. Levine (Eds.),Nebraska Symposium on Motivation. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1982). The psychology of chance encounters and life paths. American Psychologist, 37, 747 – 755.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, W. M., Stephenson, B. O., Snyder, M. L., & Wicklund, R A. (1983). Causal ambiguity and heterosexual affiliation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 19, 78 – 92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, W. M., Stephenson, B. O., Snyder, M. L., & Wicklund, R A. (1983). Causal ambiguity and heterosexual affiliation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 19, 78 – 92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berscheid, E., & Walster, E. (1974). Physical attractiveness. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology(Vol. 7 ). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brockner, J. (1983). Low self-esteem and behavioral plasticity: Some implications. In L. Wheeler & P. Shaver (Eds.), Review of personality and social psychology. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brodt, S. E., & Zimbardo, P. G. (1981). Modifying shyness-related social behavior through symptom misattribution. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 437 – 449.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brodt, S. E., & Zimbardo, P. G. (1981). Modifying shyness-related social behavior through symptom misattribution. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 437 – 449.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, D., & Zander, A. (1968). Group dynamics: Research and theory. New York: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cialdini, R. B., Borden, R. J., Thorne, A., Walker, M. R, Freeman, S., & Sloan, L. R (1976). Basking in reflected glory: Three (football) field studies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34, 366 – 375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooley, C. H. (1902). Human nature and the social order. New York: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darley, J. M., & Fazio, R. H. (1980). Expectancy confirmation processes arising in the social interaction sequence. American Psychologist, 35, 867 – 881.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dermer, M., & Thiel, D. L. (1975). When beauty may fail. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 1168 – 1176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dion, K. K., Berscheid, E., & Walster, E. (1972). What is beautiful is good. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 24, 285 – 290.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, S. (1979). The stability of behavior: I. On predicting most of the people much of the time. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 1097 – 1126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erikson, E. (1950). Childhood and society. New York: W. W. Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Festinger, L., Schachter, S., & Back, K. (1950). Social pressures in informal groups: A study of human factors in housing. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief attitude, intention and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furman, W., Shaver, P., & Buhrmester, D. (1984). Social needs, loneliness, and attributional style. Unpublished manuscript, University of Denver.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goetz, T. E., & Dweck, C. S. (1980). Learned helplessness in social situations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39, 246 – 255.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goldman, W., & Lewis, P. (1977). Beautiful is good: Evidence that the physically attractive are more socially skillful. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 13, 125 – 130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gottman, J. M. (1979). Marital interaction: Experimental investigations. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansson, R. O., Jones, W. H., & Carpenter, B. N. (1984). Relational competence and social support. In P. Shaver (Ed.), Review of Personality and Social Psychology. Beverly Hills, CA.: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, J. H., Wells, G. L., & Alvarez, M. D. (1978). Attribution in the context of conflict and separation in close relationships. In J. H. Harvey, W. Ickes, & R.F. Kidd (Eds.), New directions in attribution research. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz, L. M., French, R, & Anderson, C. A. (1982). The prototype of a lonely person. In L. A. Peplau & D. Perlman (Eds.) Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research and therapy. New York: John Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huston, T. L. (1973). Ambiguity of acceptance, social desirability, and dating choice. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 9, 32 – 42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ickes, W., & Barnes, R. D. (1977). The role of sex and self-monitoring in unstructural dyadic interactions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35, 315 – 330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ickes, W., Patterson, M. L., Rajecki, D. W., & Tanford, S. (1982). Behavioral and cognitive consequences of reciprocal versus compensatory responses to preinteraction expectancies. Social Cognition, 1, 160 – 190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W. H. (1982). Loneliness and social behavior. In L. A. Peplau & D. Perlman (Eds.), Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research and therapy. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W. H., Hobbs, S. A., & Hockenbury, D. (1982). Loneliness and social skill deficits. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 682 – 689.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Katz, D. (1960). The functional approach to the study of attitude. Public Opinion Quarterly, 24, 163 – 204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, H. H. (1979). Personal relationships: Their structures and processes. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, H. H. (1983). Option-consequence lists as descriptions of social interdependence. Unpublished manuscript, University of California, Los Angeles.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, H. H., & Thibaut, J. W. (1978). Interpersonal relations: A theory of interdependence. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, G. A. (1955). A theory of personality. New York: W. W. Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, G. A. (1955). A theory of personality. New York: W. W. Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kernis, M. H., & Wheeler, L. (1981). Beautiful friends and ugly strangers: Radiation and contrast effects in perceptions of same-sex pairs. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 7, 617 – 620.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiesler, S. B., & Baral, R. L. (1970). The search for a romantic partner: The effects of self-esteem and physical attractiveness on romantic behavior. In K. L. Gergen & D. Marlowe (Eds.), Personality and social behavior, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krebs, D., & Adinolfi, A. A. (1975). Physical attractiveness, social relations, and personality style. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 245 – 253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leary, M. R. (1982). Social anxiety. In L. Wheeler (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lerner, R. M., & Karabenick, S. (1974). Physical attractiveness, body attitudes, and self-concept in late adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 3, 307 – 316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levinger, G., & Snoek, J. D. (1972). Attraction in relationship: A new look at interpersonal attraction. Morristown, NJ: General Learning Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science. New York: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewinsohn, P. M., Mischel, W., Chaplin, W., & Barton, R (1980). Social competence and depression: The role of illusory self-perceptions. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 89, 203 – 212.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mathes, E. W. (1975). The effects of physical attractiveness and anxiety on heterosexual attraction over a series of five encounters. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 37, 769 – 781.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGuire, W. J. (1969). The nature of attitudes and attitude change. In G. Lindzey & E. Aronson (Eds.), Handbook of social psychology (2nd Ed.). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orvis, B. R, Kelley, H. H., & Butler, D. (1976). Attributional conflict in young couples. In J. H. Harvey, W. Ickes, & R. F. Kidd (Eds.), New directions in attribution research. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orvis, B. R, Kelley, H. H., & Butler, D. (1976). Attributional conflict in young couples. In J. H. Harvey, W. Ickes, & R. F. Kidd (Eds.), New directions in attribution research. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peplau, L. A., Miceli, M., & Morasch, B. (1982). Loneliness and self-evaluation. In A. Peplau & D. Perlman (Eds.), Loneliness: A sourcebook of research and therapy. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peplau, L. A., & Perlman, D. (Eds.), (1982). Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research, and therapy. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reis, H. T., Nezlek, J., & Wheeler, L. (1980). Physical attractiveness in social interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38, 604 – 617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reis, H. T., Wheeler, L., Spiegel, N., Kernis, M. H., Nezlek, J., & Perri, M. (1982). Physical attractiveness in social interaction: II. Why does appearance affect social experience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43, 979 – 996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rostand, E. (1981). Cyrano de Bergerac(B. Hooker, Trans.). New York: Bantam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubenstein, C. M., & Shaver, P. (1982). The experience of loneliness. In L. A. Peplau & D. Perlman (Eds.), Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research and therapy. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubenstein, C. M., & Shaver, P. (1982). The experience of loneliness. In L. A. Peplau & D. Perlman (Eds.), Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research and therapy. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Segal, M. W. (1974). Alphabet and attraction: An unobtrusive measure of the effect of propinquity in a field setting. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 30, 654 – 657.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sigall, H., & Landy, D. (1973). Radiating beauty: The effects of having a physically attractive partner on person perception. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 28, 218 – 224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sigall, H., & Landy, D. (1973). Radiating beauty: The effects of having a physically attractive partner on person perception. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 28, 218 – 224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, M., Tanke, E. D., & Berscheid, E. (1977). Social perception and interpersonal behavior: On the self-fulfilling nature of social stereotypes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35, 656 – 666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorell, G. T., & Nowak, C. A. (1981). The role of physical attractiveness as a contributor to individual development. In R. Lerner (Ed.), Individuals as producers of their environment. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wann, W. B., Jr. (1983). Self-verification: Bringing social reality into harmony with the self. In J. Suls & A. G. Greenwald (Eds.), Social psychological perspectives on the self. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tesser, A. (1983). Self-evaluation maintenance processes: Implications for relationships and development. Unpublished manuscript, University of Georgia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tesser, A., Campbell, J., & Smith, M. (1983). Friendship choice and performance: Self-evaluation maintenance in childhood. Unpublished manuscript, University of Georgia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tesser, A., & Smith, J. (1980). Some effects of friendship and task relevance on helping: You don’t always help the one you like. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 16, 582 – 590.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walster, E., Berscheid, E., & Walster, G. W. (1973). New directions in equity research. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 25, 151 – 176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, R. S. (1974). The provisions of social relationships. In Z. Rubin (Ed.), Doing unto others. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler, L. (1974). Social comparison and selective affiliation. In T. L. Huston (Ed.), Foundations of interpersonal attraction. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler, L., Reis, H. T., & Nezlek, J. (1983). Loneliness, social interaction, and sex roles. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45, 943 – 953.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittenberg, M. T., & Reis, H. T. (1984). Loneliness and social perception in a naturalistic environment. Unpublished manuscript, University of Rochester.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Harry T. Reis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Texas—Arlington, 76019-0528, Arlington, Texas, USA

    William Ickes

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1985 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Reis, H.T. (1985). The Role of the Self in the Initiation and Course of Social Interaction. In: Ickes, W. (eds) Compatible and Incompatible Relationships. Springer Series in Social Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5044-9_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5044-9_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9538-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-5044-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation