Social Environmental Stress Affects Interpersonal Spacing in Psychosis: A Virtual Reality Study

Interpersonal influence and interpersonal adjustment play crucial roles in structuring social interactions. However, not much is known about whether their consequences are culturally contingent. We hypothesized that in order to effectively influence others, people need to employ a perceptual style that serves their cultural imperative. Specifically, we predicted that in the United States, interpersonal influence fosters an analytic, context-independent perceptual style that helps people focus on their goal; however, in Japan, where the cultural imperative is to attend to other people and fit into social contexts, this pattern may be absent or reversed. In two studies, we tested this hypothesis by measuring interpersonal interactions (Study 1) and then by manipulating interpersonal interactions (Study 2). Overall, the findings support a culturally contingent situated-cognition approach, which highlights not only interpersonal underpinnings of perceptual styles but also the role that culture plays in ascribing meaning to interpersonal interactions.

Interpersonal perception

10.1177/0956797610385954

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An exploration into children's interpersonal behaviour as related to their perception of social interactions

Psychology in the Schools (1973)

David W. Barnett Karl B. Zucker

Wish

10.1002/1520-6807(197301)10:1<61::aid-pits2310100110>3.0.co;2-3

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Social Perception and Interpersonal Influence