Interaction Behavior and Person Perception

Abstract

This article proposes a conceptualframeworkfor analyzing interdependent behavioral and person perception processes in social interaction. First, the separate theoretical approaches to nonverbal exchange (the behavioral side) and to person perception (the social cognition side) of interaction are briefly reviewed Next, the relationship between the behavioral and person perception processes are outlined in an integrative theoreticalframework. Within this framework, the distribution of cognitive resources, in terms of attention and cognitive effort, determines the effectiveness of interactive behavior and the nature of impressions formed about apartner Finally, an example of a researchparadigmfor studying the behavior-person perception interface is described and preliminary results reported.