Role-Taking as a Function of Value Similarity and Affect in the Nuclear Family

Abstract

The study of interpersonal relationships has received continued empirical attention from behavioral scientists since Newcomb's classic study involving college roommates (Newcomb, 1953). Additionally, phenomenologists have exhibited increasing interest in the inner workings of interpersonal perception (Garfinkel, 1964; Icheiser, 1955; Laing, Phillipson, and Lee, 1966; Schutz, 1962; Stark, 1970). In spite of such attention, there has been a general failure to account for differences in an individual's ability to accurately take the role of others. Perhaps this is because the majority of empirical investigations have been carried out by the more psychologically oriented researchers who, for the most part, have chosen to use the concept empathy in instances where the more socially oriented researcher and theorist would prefer the concept role-taking. The result has been a greater emphasis given to the psychological, intrapersonal, and emotive aspects of the phenomenon rather than to the more social, interpersonal aspects. The present report is an attempt to account for individual role-taking ability through an analysis of differing dyadic characteristics of the nuclear family. The theory employed in the present work has been suggested, to one degree or another, by a body of authors which numbers among its members both psychologically and sociologically oriented social psychologists (Broxton, 1963; Byrne, 1961; Byrne and Blaylock, 1963; Levinger and Breedlove, 1966; Newcomb, 1959, 1961; Osgood and Tannenbaum, 1955; Peak, 1958; Scheff, 1967). These authors are in agreement that, in the explanation of role-taking phenomena, the balance model may be useful. In addition, the theory is tied to the work originated by Festinger (1957), Heider (1958), and Newcomb (1953) and is based on the major principle common to all these: that individuals' perceptions will be consistent with their attitudes. This principle is used to create two propositions, one at the intrapsychic level and the other at the dyadic or relationship level, which allow for the generation of hypotheses about role-taking accuracy. The basic statement of the current theory is that accuracy of role-taking is a function of the level of affect in interpersonal relationships together with the degree of similarity of value systems. The first proposition, at the cognitive level of analysis, states that if actor possesses a high positive affective attitude toward other he will perceive other as similar to himself on behavioral dimensions; and conversely, a negative affective attitude will lead actor to perceive other as different from himself. This cognitive balance proposition has received support from a number of authors (Fiedler, 1951, 1953, 1954; Fiedler and Senior, 1952; Fiedler, Blaisdell, and Warrington, 1952; Fiedler, Hartman, and Rudin, 1952; Byrne and Blaylock, 1963; Levinger and Breedlove, 1966). The second proposition in the theory employs the concept of cognitive consistency to determine the similarity or dissimilarity between two individuals. At the dyadic level of analysis, the second proposition holds that two persons sharing similar value systems will advocate similar responses in behavioral (problem-solving) situations. And, conversely, persons with generally dissimilar value systems will advocate different responses in behavioral situations. For example, two persons who agree on political ideology will likely agree on economic ideology; and two persons who differ on political ideologies will likely differ on economic ideologies. Thus, the relationship requires two individuals, both of whom exhibit cognitive balance which results in similaritydissimilarity between individuals. *This research was conducted from June to December, 1970, and was partially supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF-GS-2650) and a Research Grant in Aid from Washington State University. We wish to thank Viktor Gecas for help on an earlier version and Bernard Babbitt, Marlene Huntsinger, and Lorrie Rippee for computer programming assistance. The names are listed in alphabetical order as the responsibility for this work is truly coauthored.