Expanding the analysis of social orientations by reference to the sequential–temporal structure of situations

✍ Scribed by HAROLD. H. KELLEY

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 255 KB
• Volume: 27
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0046-2772
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-0992(199707)27:4<373::aid-ejsp836>3.0.co;2-9

✦ Synopsis

The purpose of this paper is to identify logically the types of choice points that people encounter in their interpersonal relationships. It is assumed that associated with each type of choice point is a special class of choice criterion or decision rule. Therefore, identifying the types of choice points provides a basis for distinguishing the various decision criteria that are required by interdependent life and that should be assessed in order to predict patterns of interpersonal interaction. This paper explains how these distinctions will serve to expand our thinking about social orientations.

Introduction

Research on social orientations has drawn much of its rigour from the fact that it has focused on a particular circumscribed situation. This is one in which a person (1) has several alternative courses of action that affect both the person's own and another person's immediate outcomes and (2) applies some decision rule, such as maximize the joint outcomes' or minimize the difference', in selecting among the alternatives. It is obvious that in real life, choice situations are considerably more complicated than this. Choices are generally made under circumstances in which decisions follow prior decisions and outcomes and affect not only immediate outcomes but also subsequent alternatives and, thereby, later outcomes. If we consider the rules people may follow in such time-extended structures, it is necessary greatly to expand our conception of the domain of social orientations. Many of the orientations most important in interpersonal relations, such as trust, control, courage, dependence, and sharing of power, will then come under our analysis.