Abstract
People dealing with stressful circumstances may deflect friends’ inquiries about the situation for a variety of reasons, which could have subsequent effects on relational dynamics. This study investigated the explanations that individuals formulated about hypothetical situations in which friends indicated a desire to avoid discussing a sensitive subject. A typology of explanations for avoidance messages was developed, which indicated that common attributions centered on beliefs that the friend was avoiding the conversation in order to support avoidant coping strategies. Cognitive complexity predicted certain explanations and also indirectly predicted subsequent intent to bring up the topic through explanation diversity.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
