The

Rela(onal Self: A Targeted Example of the If-Then Model of Personality

February 16, 2012

(Mischel, Shoda & Wright, 1994; Mischel & Shoda, 1995)

CAPS Review

Personality func(oning best understood in terms of if-then associa(ons

If=situa(on Then=behavior/response

Situa(ons (ifs) are subjec(vely construed Ifs trigger cogni(ve-aec(ve units (encodings, expectancies, feelings, goals) These then give rise to behavioral responses Cogni(ve and aec(ve units determine/reect the psychological situa(on for the individual

(Mischel, Shoda & Wright, 1994; Mischel & Shoda, 1995)

CAPS Review

Each individual has an unique constella(on of if- then rela(ons Overall pa]ern of if-then rela(ons cons(tutes unique personality (signature) Variability in responses across situa(ons should not be averaged or dismissedvaria(on is precisely what cons(tutes personality Key to unlocking behavioral consistency is to understand if-then rela(ons, and cogni(ve- aec(ve media(ng units

The Rela(onal Self

(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

Concrete case of if-then framework put forward by CAPS Self is inherently rela(onal Given the profound importance of signicant others (SO) in our life, and our fundamental need for connec(on and belonging, the self and personality are shaped largely by experiences with SOs

The Rela(onal Self

(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

Linkages in memory between SO representa(ons and the self that reect knowledge about who the self is in rela(on to the SO

mom

Self-Other Linkages
(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

dad

self

Sally Girl- friend

Joe coach

The Rela(onal Self

(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

When SO is ac(vated, ac(va(on spreads to those aspects of the self that are associated with specic SO
Causing shif in aect, mo(va(on, behavior

We become the self we are with SO

mom

Self-Other Linkages
(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

dad

self

Sally Girl- friend

Joe coach

mom

Self-Other Linkages
(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

dad

self

Sally Girl- friend

Joe coach

mom

Self-Other Linkages
(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

dad

self

Sally Girl- friend

Joe coach

mom

Self-Other Linkages
(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

dad

self

Sally Girl- friend

Joe coach

mom

Self-Other Linkages
(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

dad

self

Sally Girl- friend

Joe coach

mom

Self-Other Linkages
(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

dad

self

Sally Girl- friend

Joe coach

The Rela(onal Self

(Andersen & Chen, 2002)

When SO is ac(vated, ac(va(on spreads to those aspects of the self that are associated with specic SO
Causing shif in aect, mo(va(on, behavior

We become the self we are with SO (even if SO not physically present) If situa(on Sig. other/self with sig. other Then typical pa]ern of rela(ng to sig. other (including roles, goals, self-regulatory style, aect, etc.)

The Rela(onal Self (Andersen & Chen, 2002)

Working self concept (Markus & Wurf, 1987):
subset of self knowledge that is in working memory at any given moment guides cogni(on, aect and behavior self varies as a func(on of the self-knowledge that is currently ac(ve Cues in the immediate situa(on (oce, computer, desk, etc. ac(vate professional self)

What determines what is ac(vated?

Rela(onal self emerges by the triggering of Transference

(e.g., Andersen et al 1996, Andersen & Glassman, 1996)

Transference

Interpersonal situa(ons trigger Transference Cues associated with SO in a new person (e.g., gesture, facial features, how he/she listens, holds ones gaze, etc.) ac(vate:
associated SO representa(on unique self-with-SO representa(on (ideographic) generic social categories, roles, iden((es (older sister)

SO representa(on can be contextually ac(vated (above) but can also be chronically accessible

Contextual ac(va(on variability in self/personality Chronic ac(va(on con(nuity in self/personality

Transference paradigm
Session 1 Name and describe SO7 posi(ve and 7 nega(ve descriptors ID irrelevant adjec(ves Session 2 (unrelated and several weeks later) Given descrip(ve sentence about new person youre going to meet
Resemblance: some sentences taken from Session 1 response (applicability-based cues) No resemblance: some sentences taken from yoked par(cipant in experimental condi(on (s(muli content perfectly controlled)

Evidence for Transference

Inferences about and memory for new person based on stored knowledge of SO
Remember being exposed to SO descriptors that were not presented in session 2

Evalua(on of new person based on SO

Like new person more when he/she resembles posi(ve SO

Triggering d/n have to be conscious

Works when cues about new person presented subliminally

Eects of Transference
Memory Liking Acceptance expecta(ons (vs. rejec(on) Desire to be emo(onally close Self-concept/self-evalua(on Emo(ons New others behavior (expressed posi(ve aect)

Facial feature resemblance elicits transference eect

Session 1 Describe SO (7 pos, 7 neg, 12 irrelevant descriptors Describe who you are with SO (rate a]ributes) Rate 200 faces for resemblance to SO Session 2: Meet University Buddy Photo resembles SO or not
(Kraus & Chen, 2010)

Facial feature resemblance elicits transference eect

Outcomes Liking: own > yoked Inferences:
(Kraus & Chen, 2010)

given list of descriptors rated SO descriptors higher in own vs. yoked condi(on

Self-concept (make self ra(ngs at this moment)

Compared session 1 and session 2 self assessment measure of Big Five personality domains More congruent in own vs. yoked condi(on

Non-conscious pursuit of interpersonal goals

Pursuit of interpersonal goals

(Fitzsimons & Bargh, 2003)

Does mere psychological presence of rela(onship partner trigger interpersonal goals that are subsequently pursued nonconsciously? Ac(va(ng rela(onship representa(ons ac(vate rela(onship-specic goals, which then guide behavior in goal congruent fashion

Examples of rela(onship types & interpersonal goal regulari(es

Mother
to succeed so I can make my mother proud (but not with friend or roman(c partner)

Classmate
Self presenta(on (but not with friend, or roman(c partner)

Friend
enjoy their company/spend (me together (but not with mom!) help friend

Study 1
Does thinking of a friend ac(vate the goal of helping (outside the context of that rela(onship)? Large US airport Think of/describe a good friend, or co-worker What is your opinion on doing such studies in public places?
Willingness to par(cipate in a longer study Actually par(cipate in a longer study?

Willingness to par(cipate in 2nd study

14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Friend Coworker Yes No

Study 2
But does ac(va(ng rela(onship ac(vate goal? Person percep(on indirect measure of goal accessibility Prime: mother, friend, or not Read about Mark

Mark
Mark is just entering his second year of college. In his rst year, he did very well in some classes but not as well in others. Although he missed some morning classes, overall he had very good a]endance. His parents are both doctors, and he is registered in pre-med, but he hasnt really decided if that is what he wants to do. How mo(vated in Mark to succeed?

as indicated by the activated goal constructs effect on the interpretation of a target persons motivations. Because activation of the mother representation increased the accessibility of the participants own goal to succeed at school to make Mom proud, the

Par

Marks mo(va(on to succeed

*

T plete mot

Ma

M exce ques were Ple rang conc

Figure 1. Mean ratings in Study 2a of targets motivation to succeed, by priming condition.

A four coe

as indicated by the activated goal constructs effect on the interpretation of a target persons motivations. Because activation of the mother representation increased the accessibility of the participants own goal to succeed at school to make Mom proud, the

Par

Marks mo(va(on to succeed

*

T plete mot

Ma

M exce ques were Ple rang conc

Figure 1. Mean ratings in Study 2a of targets motivation to succeed, by priming condition.

A four coe

Study 3
Pre-study ques(onnaire: goal to make mom proud? (yes, no) Prime mom (visualize appearance, imagine her on a Sunday afernoon, etc.) Control: describe bedroom Verbal test: Generate as many words as you can from 5 le]ers

uestions, but ization tasks he path they first musical name of the Participants condition (in condition (in

p .06 ( p .06), indicated that gender had influenced the Priming Condition Goal interaction. Both genders showed the predicted pattern of results, but male participants in the goal group were more influenced by the priming manipulation, performing better than female participants in the goal group after the mother prime and worse in the control condition (mean scores were 39.0

Anagram performance

experimenter require them ere told they d, and it was any words as ber of words, menter asked

e verbal test, nt scales. The ase rate your egative) to 7 otivated they ut doing well uestion asked task, from 1 articipants to

Figure 3. Mean number of words found in anagram task in Study 4a, by experimental condition (mother prime or control) and goal status (possessing or not possessing the goal).

Rela(onal schemas
(Baldwin et al, 1990)

Catholic women (prac(cing and not prac(cing) Read sexual passage Subliminally exposed to unknown male, white index card, or...

Pope John Paul II

Rela(onal schemas
(Baldwin et al, 1990)

Prac(cing and not prac(cing Catholic women Read sexual passage Subliminally exposed to unknown male, white index card, or Pope John Paul II Self-concept inventory (competency, morality, anxiety)

Self-concept ra(ngs
7.2 7 6.8 6.6 6.4 6.2 6 5.8 Pope Unknown male Control

Summary
Variability in behavior across situa(ons is not (all) random errorrather that variability might reect the very essence of personality Personality is idiosyncra(c mixture of if-then con(ngencies, many of which reect our eorts to navigate our social world and meet our fundamental needs for belongingness and security Understanding each persons unique constella(on of if-then con(ngencies can reveal their personality signature and rene predic(ons about specic behaviors in future situa(ons Much of this operates at a non-conscious level