Interpersonal Psychophysiology and the Study of the Family Wagner, H. L., & Calam, R. M. (1988). Interpersonal psychophysiology and the study of the family. In H. L. Wagner (Ed.), Social psychophysiology and emotion: Theory and clinical applications (pp ). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson Introduction  Definition of interpersonal psychophysiology: simultaneous measurement of physiological arousal from two or more persons engaged in social interaction.  At the time of the writing, Wagner and Calam (1988) warned that physiological research was expensive and time- consuming. The expense has decreases in recent years, but the approach is time- consuming.

Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson Interpersonal Psychophysiology and Emotion  Results from a series of studies of psychotherapy process suggested that there was physiological arousal of client and therapist covaried, but the covariation was not consistent throughout the session.  Times when covariation was low were associated with therapist reported that s/he was preoccupied.  Heart rate covariation seemed to be associated during interactions described as “meaningful.”  Empathy does not seem to be a “state” but is experienced as a series of discrete events.

Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson Interpersonal Psychophysiology and Married Couples  Gottman (1979) reviewed research on patterns of affective exchange.  Distressed couples show more negative affect, more negative reciprocal affect, and more affective asymmetry (discrepancy between affective experience).  Gottman hypothesized that physiological covariation would affect relationship satisfaction.  Gottman’s Research Design:  Chose physiological parameters that reflected sympathetic and parasympathetic activity.  Couples were recorded as they participated in high and low-conflict discussions.  Physiological arousal was also measured as the participant watched the videotaped interaction.

Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson Interpersonal Psychophysiology and Married Couples (cont.)  Gottman’s Results:  High conflict discussions were significant predictors of relationship satisfaction. Low conflict discussions were not significant predictors of relationship satisfaction.  Fifty-nine percent of the variation in relationship satisfaction was associated with physiological covariation between the couple.  Physiological measures were significant predictors of relationship satisfaction three years later.

Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson The Family as a System  Gottman’s results seem to support aspects of family systems theory (e.g., effect of type of conversation on physiological arousal; influence of covariation physiological arousal between partners).  Methodological need: development of protocol for measuring more than two family members, especially methods to measure children that are not influenced by lab setting.