Interpersonal Choices Research Articles

Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Premarital Awareness and Interpersonal Choices Program (PICK) and the SYMBIS Premarital Model on Girls' Attitudes Toward Marriage

Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Premarital Awareness and Interpersonal Choices Program (PICK) and the SYMBIS Premarital Model on Girls' Attitudes Toward Marriage

Across the islands: A multimodal discourse analysis of government homepages

This article examines the homepages of two island governments: American Hawaii and Chinese Hainan. Under Pauwels' (2012) multimodal framework for analysing websites as cultural expressions, we investigate how the homepages construct identities and multimodally portray the islands as tourist destinations. Through attractive imagery, interpersonal linguistic choices, and interactive links to social media, Hawaii’s homepage depicts the state’s identity as a modern, welcoming indigenous community. Hainan’s website has a Chinese version and an English version. With a newspaper type of official and formal presentation, the Chinese homepage promotes the provincial government’s identity as a traditional administration and information hub by extensively using impersonal semiotic resources with limited interactivity. In contrast, the English homepage creates an identity as a thoughtful caretaker and attentive administrator who provides practical resources to meet the needs of foreign guests. In terms of semiotic use and visual design, Hainan’s English homepage seems to position itself between two extremes: Hainan’s Chinese homepage and the Hawaii homepage. The homepage differences can be explained from the standpoint of communication purposes and cultural values. Although all three belong to a pragmatic discourse type, these homepages situate themselves at different points on a continuum. This paper highlights the importance of researching the relationship between cultural specificity and webpage design.

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) Program and the Premarital SYMBIS Model in Improving the Fear of Marriage among Unmarried Girls

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) Program and the Premarital SYMBIS Model in Improving the Fear of Marriage among Unmarried Girls

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) Program and the Premarital SYMBIS Model in Improving the Fear of Marriage among Unmarried Girls

Background and Aim: Youth marriage has become a major challenge in Iranian society. Young people avoid marriage for various reasons, and the phenomenon of marriage delay has emerged as a problem; hence, the present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) program and the premarital SYMBIS model (Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts) in improving the fear of marriage among unmarried girls. Methods: The research was semi-experimental (pretest-posttest with a control group and a one-month follow-up). The statistical population of the research consisted of unmarried female students over 30 years of age at Islamic Azad University, South Tehran branch. After citation at the university (through placing an advertisement and invitation on the student social networks) and after screening of 53 volunteer female students according to research criteria by the fear of marriage questionnaire by Samiei et al. (2013), 45 girls were selected and 15 girls were randomly assigned to the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) program group (2006) by Van Epp, and 15 girls were assigned to the premarital SYMBIS model group (Parrott and Parrott (2016), and 15 girls were assigned to the control group. The data were analyzed using the repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: According to the results, the intervention based on the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) and the Premarital SYMBIS Model affected the fear of spouse (F=38.80, P=0.001), fear of financial management inability (F=19.71, P=0.001), fear of spouse's limitations (F=28.00, P=0.001), self-fear (F=18.63, P=0.001), fear of spouse's betrayal (F=31.13, P=0.001), and financial fear (F=14.33, P=0.001). The effect was stable in the follow-up stage. Conclusion: Based on the results, it is necessary to use the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) program and the Premarital SYMBIS model to reduce the fear of marriage and marriage inefficiency beliefs in unmarried girls on the verge of marriage. Therefore, psychologists and marriage therapists can take the advantage of the premarital training method based on the PICK program and SYMBIS model along with other training methods to reduce the fear of marriage in girls on the verge of marriage.

On prospect theory, making choices for others, and the affective psychology of risk

Previous research has generally shown that people’s decisions conform to the four-fold pattern of prospect theory; that is, people over-weight prospects with small probabilities and under-weight prospects with large probabilities. In terms of making risky decisions, the four-fold pattern unfolds accordingly: people make (1) risk-seeking choices among options that involve small-probable gains or large-probable losses; and (2) risk-averse choices among options that involve small-probable losses or large-probable gains. In three experiments and a summary quantitative model, we found that for interpersonal choices—decisions people make for others—the four-fold pattern attenuates and reverses in shape. We attributed this transformation to a unique signature in interpersonal decision makers’ emotions, which varied in mean, mode, and distribution from personal decision makers’. In all, our research offers new insights on prospect theory, interpersonal decision making, and the affective psychology of risk.

How can EFL teachers make their questions more interactive with students? Interpersonal patterns of teacher questions

Teacher questioning is central to effective EFL teaching as it affects student participation in classroom interaction, but a discrepancy is often found between questions considered effective by theorists and those teachers actually ask in practice. Adopting the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics, this study addresses teacher questions as ‘interactive events’ whose degrees of interactivity vary with teachers’ choices of interpersonal meanings realized in grammatical forms, with a view to informing EFL teachers how to choose interpersonal meanings to make their questions more interactive with students. Using authentic question-answer sequences (n = 433) occurring in whole-class discussions in 18 college EFL classes in China, the study first analyzed interpersonal choices of ‘Subject person’ (interactant vs. non-interactant) and ‘modal deixis’ (judgment vs. time) in EFL teachers’ questions, and then tested the relationship between teachers’ choices and the length of student answers. Those choices found to be significantly associated with lengthier answers include [interactant + judgment] inviting self-related assessment, [interactant + past] requesting recounts of personal experiences, and [non-interactant + past] seeking reconstruction of textbook discourse. All interpersonal patterns of teacher questions thus identified are described, and pedagogical implications discussed.

Neural representations of social valence bias economic interpersonal choices

Prior personal information is highly relevant during social interactions. Such knowledge aids in the prediction of others, and it affects choices even when it is unrelated to actual behaviour. In this investigation, we aimed to study the neural representation of positive and negative personal expectations, how these impact subsequent choices, and the effect of mismatches between expectations and encountered behaviour. We employed functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in combination with a version of the Ultimatum Game (UG) where participants were provided with information about their partners' moral traits previous to receiving their fair or unfair offers. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed the implication of the supplementary motor area (SMA) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in the representation of expectations about the partners in the game. Further, these regions also represented the valence of these expectations, together with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Importantly, the performance of multivariate classifiers in these clusters correlated with a behavioural choice bias to accept more offers following positive descriptions, highlighting the impact of the valence of the expectations on participants' economic decisions. Altogether, our results suggest that expectations based on social information guide future interpersonal decisions and that the neural representation of such expectations in the vmPFC is related to their influence on behaviour.

The persuasive mechanism of monoglossic propositions in advertisments

Bakhtin (1981, 427) does not regard bare assertions as simply neutral or factual, but as “undialogised” or “monoglossic”, and as such still not “free from subjective presencing of the speaker” (Thibault, 1997, 53). Based on such a view, in appraisal theory, monoglossic and heteroglossic propositions are defined as two discursive interpersonal choices for signalling the absence or presence of other voices within the category of engagement (Martin, White, 2005). Even though monoglossic propositions in advertisements apparently diminish their interpersonal and subjective value through undialogised positioning due to the absence of engagement elements, this value is nevertheless commonly increased by the highly evaluative nature of advertisements, which is often permeated by ideology. The paper identifies types of monoglossic propositions and investigates their evaluative charge in advertisements, which may contribute significantly to the overall persuasive rhetoric of advertisements, within the appraisal system (Martin, White, 2005).

Consensus-based aggregation for identification and ranking of top-k influential nodes

Technology has continuously been a crucially influenced and acutely tangled with the progress of society. Online Social Networks (OSN) are interesting and valuable datasets that can be leveraged to improve understanding about society and to know inter-personal choices. Identification and Ranking of Influential Nodes (IRIN) is non-trivial task for real time OSN like Twitter which accustom with ever-changing network, demographics and contents having heterogeneous features such as Tweets, Likes, Mentions and Retweets. Existing techniques such as Centrality Measures and Influence Maximization ignores vital information available on OSN, which are inappropriate for IRIN. Most of these approaches have high computational complexity i.e. $$O(n^{3} )$$ . This research aims to put forward holistic approach using Heterogeneous Surface Learning Features (HSLF) for IRIN on specific topic and proposes two approaches: Average Consensus Ranking Aggregation and Weighted Average Consensus Ranking Aggregation using HSLF. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approaches are tested and analysed using real world data fetched from Twitter for two topics, Politics and Economy and achieved superior results compared to existing approaches. The empirical analysis validate that the proposed approach is highly scalable with low computational complexity and applicable for large datasets.

The Effect of Concrete Wording on Truth Judgements: A Preregistered Replication and Extension of Hansen & Wänke (2010)

When you lack the facts, how do you decide what is true and what is not? In the absence of knowledge, we sometimes rely on non-probative information. For example, participants judge concretely worded trivia items as more likely to be true than abstractly worded ones (the linguistic truth effect;Hansen & Wänke, 2010). If minor language differences affect truth judgements, ultimately they could influence more consequential political, legal, health, and interpersonal choices. This Registered Report includes two high-powered replication attempts of Experiment 1 from Hansen and Wänke (2010). Experiment 1a was a dual-site, in-person replication of the linguistic concreteness effect in the original paper-and-pencil format (n = 253, n = 246 in analyses). Experiment 1b replicated the study with an online sample (n = 237,n = 220 in analyses). In Experiment 1a, the effect of concreteness on judgements of truth (Cohen’sdz = 0.08; 95% CI: [–0.03, 0.18]) was smaller than that of the original study. Similarly, in Experiment 1b the effect (Cohen’s dz = 0.11; 95% CI [–0.01, 0.22]) was smaller than that of the original study. Collectively, the pattern of results is inconsistent with that of the original study.

The Most Familiar Stranger: The Acculturation Of Mainland Chinese Students Studying In Taiwan

Mainland China and Taiwan have a homogenous macroculture, but a heterogenous microculture. To understand the acculturation of students from mainland China to Taiwan, the present study applies Berry’s(1997) two-dimensional model of acculturation, together with the concept of cultural types as its analytical framework, using focus group interviews to analyze different directions of acculturation among students from mainland China in Taiwan. The results show that regarding personal values, due to Taiwan’s restrictions on students from mainland China and the fact that they must eventually return to their place of origin, the acculturation of students from mainland China mainly takes the “separation/segregation” mode. Regarding peer selection, due to differences between individuals in their interpersonal choices, they may adopt “separation/segregation” or “integration” modes. Regarding the period of residence in Taiwan, as students from mainland China spend longer in Taiwan, they tend more towards “integration.” However, when teachers show greater contempt for the culture of mainland China, the acculturation of students from mainland China tends toward the “separation/segregation” mode.

Media’s Influence on Self-Image and Romantic Relationship Decision-Making in College-Age Clients: What Mental Health Counselors Should Know

ABSTRACTResearch indicates that media-influenced decisions potentially assist in leading college-aged students to make negative interpersonal choices, resulting in poor intimate relationships (Storey and McDonald, 2013). However, many mental health counselors inadvertently ignore the effect of media when they work with college-aged clients. To speak to the need for mental health counselors to become aware of the issue, this study examined the phenomenological perspective of eight students. This qualitative study’s results indicate that media portrayal of successful couples and unrealistic expectations affect intimate relationship decision-making.

Interpersonal Style and Hypothetical Treatment Choice Among Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

ABSTRACTIndividual differences between women victimized by intimate partner violence (IPV) may account for whether they choose to seek treatment and what kind of treatment they might prefer. Recent research has highlighted the importance of interpersonal warmth and dominance on women’s response to IPV, although this has not yet been extended to area of treatment choice in the aftermath of IPV victimization. In this study, we examined the association between interpersonal warmth and dominance on four choices of hypothetical treatment (individual therapy only, medication only, combined therapy and medication, and no treatment) in a sample of young adult women victimized by IPV (N = 117). Results indicated that the majority of women would choose therapy (with or without medication) and that interpersonal warmth was negatively associated, and dominance positively associated, with a preference for medication only. These findings extend previous research on both treatment choice and interpersonal style within the context of IPV.

Premarital Education Program Based on Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge Program on Idealistic Marital Expectation in Single Students

Premarital Education Program Based on Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge Program on Idealistic Marital Expectation in Single Students

Activist Choice Homophily and the Crowdfunding of Female Founders

In this paper, we examine when members of underrepresented groups choose to support each other, using the context of the funding of female founders via donation-based crowdfunding. Building on theories of choice homophily, we develop the concept of activist choice homophily, in which the basis of attraction between two individuals is not merely similarity between them, but rather perceptions of shared structural barriers stemming from a common social identity based on group membership. We differentiate activist choice homophily from homophily based on the similarity between individuals (“interpersonal choice homophily”), as well as from “induced homophily,” which reflects the likelihood that those in a particular social category will affiliate and form networks. Using lab experiments and field data, we show that activist choice homophily provides an explanation for why women are more likely to succeed at crowdfunding than men and why women are most successful in industries in which they are least represented.

Interpersonal choice: The advantage on the left or on the right?

This study explored whether body specificity unconsciously influenced preferences for certain people. Participants were presented pictures of the heads of 2 persons who were described as having the similar personality, profession and family background. They were instructed to choose 1 in each pair as the preferred date, preferred friend, more charismatic boss or as the better national leader. The results showed body specificity had an influence on the selection preference on first impression. Participants tended to choose the character on their dominant-hand side. This study not only provided the first social psychological evidence for the body-specificity hypothesis, but also first demonstrated a role for body specificity in impression formation and selection preference.

Avoid falling for a jerk(ette): Effectiveness of the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge Program among Emerging Adults

Premarital education may help emerging adults form healthy relationships, but evaluation research is needed, particularly with community samples. We studied emerging adults in the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) program, using a pre- to post- and a posttest-then-retrospective-pretest design to examine change in perceived relationship skills, partner selection, relational patterns, and relationship behaviors and attitudes. Mixed models analyses showed that scores for the treatment group (n=682) increased from pre to post on all four outcomes. Changes in scores for the nonequivalent comparison group (n=462) were nonsignificant. In addition, significant differences between pre- and retrospective prescores demonstrated evidence for response shift bias. The results suggest that the PICK program helps participants increase their knowledge regarding the components of healthy relationship formation.

Activist Choice Homophily and the Crowdfunding of Female Founders

Homophily is among the most cited and studied mechanisms in the social sciences; its ability to explain a wide range of phenomena is well established, and it can accommodate a broad range of forms of likeness. Despite this breadth, comparatively little research exists to distinguish the mechanisms underlying choice homophily that link these varied bases and outcomes. By examining the drivers of choice homophily, we develop the concept of activist choice homophily, where the basis of homophilic attraction is not merely dyadic similarity but rather perceptions of shared structural barriers stemming from a common social identity based on group membership. We theorize how this form of choice homophily differs from interpersonal choice homophily, which emerges from the perceived similarity between two individuals, as well as from induced homophily at the structural level. Using data from a laboratory experiment, we find evidence that activist choice homophily predicts (and largely mediates) the choice of female participants to donate to a crowdfunding project proposed by a female founder. Consistent results emerge in real-world data from the world’s largest crowdfunding platform.

Risky choice in interpersonal context: Do people dare because they care?

This paper presents an experimental study investigating the interplay of individuals’ other-regarding preferences and individuals’ risk attitude. Participants (N=120) had to make choices between a certain and risky payoff only for themselves (individual context) and choices in which the participants were paired with another randomly assigned participant who functioned as a passive recipient (interpersonal context). In the interpersonal context the risky option was beneficial for the other person while the certain option was not. Thus, the interpersonal choice context was an abstract representation of the incentive structure in helping situations, which yield risk only for the helper. Risky options in the interpersonal context yielded different payoff distributions, which allowed us to identify how considerations of fairness affect interpersonal risky choices. To assess other-regarding preferences, a dictator game was played. First we found that participants were generally less risk averse in the interpersonal choices; however, the degree of risk aversion was affected by the distribution of payoffs between decider and recipient. Furthermore, we found that changes of risk aversion in an interpersonal context could be predicted with the proposed splits in the dictator game.

Examining first-order localised politeness

In this paper, I examine perceived (im)politeness practices in a specific geographical location and argue that not only do patterns and practices need to be understood in relation to particular understandings and attitudes but also in terms of participants’ objectives. By examining impoliteness practices in a Mexican context, I argue that not only are interactants impolite in locally effective ways but may also hold individually differing and often conflicting views regarding the acceptability of engaging in a specific instance of impolite behaviour. Given the strong preference for positive politeness strategies in Mexican social encounters (Curcó 1998, 2007, 2011), I argue that verbal and non-verbal positive impoliteness strategies are often used to exclude interactants from social groups through short-term group-coordinated strategies such ashacer la ley de hielo(to give someone the silent treatment) andfregar(to verbally annoy) and through more long-lasting measures such asno dirigir la palabra(not to be on speaking terms) orhacerla burla(to make fun of). By conducting semi-structured interviews in Guadalajara, Mexico, I identified how participants saw themselves employing a range of positive impoliteness strategies and examined how such strategies reflect interpersonal choices such as having fun or censuring others’ behaviour.