Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

THIS paper reports on a series of studies designed to investigate the hypothesis that the success of a social interaction is a function of the compatibility among the participants in complexity or degree of differentiation of their cognitive structure.

Patient-therapist cognitive compatibility is shown to predict the success of treatment outcome. Its role in the teacher-student relationship in mental health training is more complex : the teacher's cognitive structure appearing to be a primary variable. In community action groups, cognitive compatibility determines the nature and type of decisions or behaviors carried out by the group. The resarch emphasizes the need for increased familiarity with cognitive research among social psychiatrists.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Carr, J.E. : "The role of conceptual organization in interpersonal discrimination ". Journal of Psychology, 1965a, 59, 159-176.

Carr, J.E. : "Cognitive complexity: Construct descriptive terms vs. cognitive process". Psychological Reports, 1965b, 16, 133-134.

Carr, J.E. : "Differentiation as a function of source characteristics and judge's conceptual structure". Journal of Personality, 1969 37, 378-386.

Carr, J.E. : "Perceived therapy outcome as a function of differentiation between and within conceptual dimensions". Journal of Clinical Psychology , 1974, 30, 282-285.

Carr J.E. : "Differentiation similarity of patient and therapist and the outcome of psychotherapy". Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1970, 76, 361-369.

Carr, J.E. , and Montgomery, F. : "Differentiation similarity and outcome of treatment: A replication ". Unpublished manuscript. University of Washington, 1971.

Carr, J.E. , and Whittenbaugh, J.A. : "Volunteer and non-volunteer characteristics in an outpatient population". Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 1968, 73, 16-17.

Carr, J.E. , and Whittenbaugh, J.A. : "Sources of disagreement in the perception of psychotherapy outcomes". Journal of Clinical Psychology , 1969, 25, 16-21.

Fisk, D.W. , Cartwright, D.S. , and Kirtner, W.L. : "Are therapeutic changes predictable?" Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1964, 69, 418-426.

10.

Gardner, R. , and Schoen, R. : "Differentiation and abstraction in concept formation". Psychological Monographs, 1962 , 76 (41, Whole No. 560).

11.

Landfield, A.W. , and Nawas, M.M. : "Psychotherapeutic improvement as a function of communication and adoption of therapists' values". Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1964, 11, 336-341.

12.

Nawas, M.M. , and Landfield, A.W. : "Improvement in psychotherapy and adoption of the therapist meaning systems". Psychological Reports, 1963, 13, 97-98.

13.

Posthuma, A. , and Carr, J.E. "Differentiation matching in school desegregation workshop". Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1974, 4, 36-46.

14.

Rogers, C. R. (Ed.): The therapeutic relationship and its impact. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1967.

15.

Sherif, M. : "Superordinate goals in reduction of intergroup conflict". American Journal of Sociology, 1938, 63, 346-358.

16.

Shows, W. , and Carson, R. : "The A-B therapist 'type' distinction and spatial orientation: replication and extension". Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, 1966, 141, 456-462.

17.

Townes, B.D. , and Carr, J.E. : "Differentiation and teaching effectiveness in medical education". Journal of applied Social Psychology, 1973, 3, 73-83

18.

Triandis, H.C. : "Cognitive similarity and communication in a dyad". Human Relations, 1960, 13, 175-183.

19.

Zajonc, R.B. : "The process of cognitive tuning". Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1960, 61, 159-167.

20.

Zajonc, R.B. : "Cognitive theories in social psychology". In Lindzey & Aronson (Eds.) Handbook of Social Psychology, Vol. I. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1968, 320-411.

The Role of Cognitive Process in Social Interaction

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References