Social & Cultural Domain Chapters 15, 16, & 17

Personality and Social Interaction Chapter 15 Personality and Social Interaction

Three Mechanisms of Social Interaction Selection Evocation Manipulation

Selection Personality characteristics of others influence whether we select them as dates, friends, or marriage partners Our own personality characteristics play a role in the kinds of situations we select to enter and stay in Personality Characteristic Desired in a Marriage Partner Assortative Mating for Personality: The Search for the Similar Do People Get the Mates They Want? And Are They Happy? Personality and the Selective Breakup of Couples

Personality Characteristics Desired in a Marriage Partner Over 10,000 participants, from 37 samples in 33 countries, six continents, five islands ____________________is the most favored characteristic Almost as important are personality characteristics of ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Note similarity to the five-factor model Dependability = Conscientiousness Emotional Stability = Emotional Stability Pleasing Disposition = Agreeableness

Assortative Mating for Personality: The Search for the Similar Complementary needs theory – people are attracted to those who have different personality dispositions than they have i.e., opposites attract Attraction similarity theory – ______________________ _____________________________________________________ i.e., birds of a feather flock together *____________________________________________________ ________________________________ and no support for the complementary needs theory

Assortative Mating for Personality: The Search for the Similar People are married to people who are similar to themselves Not just personality traits, but also ________________________ Couples who have been together the longest appeared the most similar in personality Results from the initial selection process and dissimilar couples breaking up more often Are these positive correlations caused by active selection of mates who are similar, or ________________________________ _____________________________________ (e.g., sheer proximity)? A side effect of mating with those who are close by rather than active selection of partners who are similar

Assortative Mating for Personality: The Search for the Similar Botwin et al. (1997) studied dating and married couples Correlated preferences for personality characteristics desired in a potential mate and our own personality characteristics Correlations are consistently positive: Positive correlations between spouses are due, at least in part, to _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Interestingly, people consider the “ideal” romantic partner personality to be someone who scores higher on the five- factor model than they do

Do People Get the Mates They Want? Botwin et al. (1997) (continued) Correlations between preferences for ideal personality characteristics in a mate and the actual personality characteristics of an obtained mate Consistently positive correlations: ________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Especially for Extraversion and Intellect-Openness Partner’s personality had a large effect on marital satisfaction ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ *Interestingly, these three traits were important for happiness regardless of whether the partner departed from what one wants (i.e., even if not part of ideal)

Personality and the Selective Breakup of Couples According to violation of desire theory (Buss, 1994), _______ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________has been the most consistent personality predictor of marital instability and divorce ________________________is also a strong predictor of marital dissolution Low agreeableness is also a predictor (but not as strong)

Personality and the Selective Breakup of Couples Low Agreeableness and Low Conscientiousness (high impulsivity) _______________________________________ _____________________________________________________ And infidelity is a significant risk factor for ending a romantic relationship Those who fail to get what they want—including a mate who is similar—tend to selectively break-up more often than those who get what they want

Evocation Personality characteristics of others evoke responses in us Our own personality characteristics evoke responses in others Aggression and the Evocation of Hostility Evocation of Anger and Upset in Partners Evocation of Likability, Pleasure, and Pain Evocation Through Expectancy Confirmation

Aggression and the Evocation of Hostility Aggressive people evoke hostility from others Hostile attributional bias – ___________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Because they expect others to be hostile, aggressive people treat others aggressively – people treated aggressively tend to aggress back (i.e., hostility is evoked) This confirms what the aggressive person expected ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

Evocation of Anger and Upset in Partners There are at least two ways in which personality can play a role in evoking conflict in close relationships _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ e.g., a husband low in conscientiousness might neglect personal grooming and throw his clothes on the floor, which might upset his wife e.g., a condescending wife might undermine the self-esteem of her husband and then become angry because he lacks self-confidence

Evocation of Anger and Upset in Partners Study by Buss (1991): Assessed personality characteristics of husbands and wives (self-report, spouse-report, independent reports of two interviewers) Strongest predictors of evoked anger and upset are __________________________________ – being condescending (e.g., treating partners as if they are inferior), neglecting and rejecting (e.g., failing to spend enough time with them and ignoring their feelings), abusing (e.g., slapping, hitting, or spitting), committing infidelity, abusing alcohol, insulting appearance, and exhibiting self-centeredness

Evocation of Anger and Upset in Partners Study by Buss (1991) (continued): Strongest predictors of evoked anger and upset are: ___________________________ – being moody (e.g., irritable), jealous (e.g., anger), possessive, demanding too much attention *Highly agreeable individuals tend to use “____________________” in dealing with conflict when it arises, whereas low agreeable individuals are less willing to compromise and are more likely to use verbal insults and physical force to deal with conflict

Evocation of Likability, Pleasure, and Pain ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Personality traits that evoke likability in others – ______ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ These qualities evoke pleasure in others = leads to being liked Low agreeableness and low honesty-humility evoke pain in others = cause others to be offended, annoyed, irritated, frightened, and intimidated

Evocation Through Expectancy Confirmation ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This is a self-fulfilling prophecy Snyder and Swann (1978): Individuals told in advance that they would be dealing with a hostile and aggressive individual (which was not true) led them to behave in an aggressive manner toward an unsuspecting target The target then behaved in a more aggressive manner, confirming initial beliefs

Evocation Through Expectancy Confirmation It is sometimes said that, in order to change your personality, you must move to a place where people don’t already know you Through the process of expectancy confirmation, people who already know you may unwittingly evoke in you behavior that confirms their beliefs, thereby constraining your ability to change

Manipulation Personality is linked to ways in which we try to influence or manipulate others Manipulation or social influence includes ways in which people intentionally alter, change, or exploit others Manipulation can be examined from two perspectives within personality psychology Are some individuals consistently more manipulative than others? Given that all people attempt to influence others, do stable personality characteristics predict the sorts of tactics that are used?

Manipulation A Taxonomy of Eleven Tactics of Manipulation Sex Differences in Tactics of Manipulation Personality Predictors of Tactics of Manipulation The Machiavellian Personality Narcissism and Social Interaction

A Taxonomy of 11 Tactics of Manipulation Developed through a two-step procedure Nominations of acts of influence Factor analysis of self-reports and observer-reports of nominated acts 11 tactics were identified

A Taxonomy of 11 Tactics of Manipulation Developed through a two-step procedure Nominations of acts of influence Factor analysis of self-reports and observer-reports of nominated acts 11 tactics were identified

Sex Differences in Tactics of Manipulation With the exception of regression in women (i.e., crying, whining, pouting, sulking to get their way), ___________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Personality Predictors of Tactics of Manipulation High dominance (extraversion): __________________ (i.e., demanding, threatening, cursing, criticizing) ___________________________________ (i.e., getting others to make commitments to a course of action and saying that it was their duty to do it) Low dominance (relatively submissive individuals): __________________________ (i.e., lower themselves, try to look sickly to get others to do what they wanted) __________________ (i.e., deception, lying, degradation, violence)

Personality Predictors of Tactics of Manipulation High agreeable: ____________________________ (i.e., tell others how enjoyable the activity will be) _______________ (i.e., explain the rationale for wanting others to engage in particular behaviors, and point out all the good things that will come from doing them) Low agreeable: _____________ (i.e., threaten, criticize, yell, scream) ______________________ (i.e., refuse to speak to the other until he or she complies) ________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________

Personality Predictors of Tactics of Manipulation High conscientiousness: __________________ Emotionally unstable: ______________________________________________________ __________________________

Personality Predictors of Tactics of Manipulation High intellect-openness: _________________________ Low intellect-openness: _________________________ (i.e., saying that everyone else is doing it, comparing the partner with someone else who would do it, and telling others that they will look stupid if they do not do it)

The Machiavellian Personality: A Closer Look Machiavellianism – _________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Based on the classic treatise, _____________________(1513), by Niccolo Machiavelli, an Italian diplomat A book of advice on acquiring and maintaining power Low Machs – _______________________________________________ Represents a strategy of cooperation, sometimes called tit-for-tat; based on reciprocity – you help me, and I’ll help you in return, and we will both be better off as a result This strategy works best in social situations where there are lots of rules and structure

The Machiavellian Personality: A Closer Look High Machs – ______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Represents an exploitive social strategy – one that betrays friendship and uses people opportunistically This strategy works best in social situations when there is room for innovation, rather than those that are highly constrained by rules These individuals run the risk of retaliation and revenge by those who were exploited and are more likely to incur damage to reputation

The Machiavellian Personality: A Closer Look In sum, high Machs tend to ___________ situations that are loosely structured (untethered by rules that would restrict the deployment of an exploitive strategy), ___________ specific reactions from others (anger and retaliation for having been exploited), and tend to ___________ other people in predictable ways (using tactics that are exploitive, self-serving, and deceptive)

Narcissism and Social Interaction Those high on narcissism are _____________________________ __________________________________________________________ Also grandiose, entitled, and lack empathy for other people’s feelings, needs, and desires Selection Associate with people who admire them, who will reflect positive view they hold of themselves Evocation Exhibitionism splits people – some view them as brilliant and entertaining, others as selfish and boorish Manipulation Highly exploitative of others (described as “users”)

Summary and Evaluation Personality does not exist solely in the heads of individuals Personality affects the ways in which we interact with others in our social world We select people and environments, choosing social situations to which we will expose ourselves—personality plays a key role in the selection process We evoke emotions and actions in others, based in part on our personality characteristics Personality plays a key role in which we use tactics to influence or manipulate others