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Abstract

This study examines the hypotheses that (1) Indians, compared to Americans, tend to structure interpersonal relations hierarchically, and (b) they are more global in their perception of task, self, and others. Discussing and Completing a socially relevant situational scale were 22 American and 40 Indian dyads of non-friends. Afterwards, they completed a questionnaire that measured their perceptions of each other and of the task interactions. The results showed that Indians reported making more differential contributions and influence efforts than Americans, who reported having more of a mutual influence as well as resistance to influence from others. Indians were more global in their perception of self and others. Americans reported a more interconnected perception of task interactions. The authors discuss implications for the psychological differentiation hypothesis.

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Perceptual Structuring Of Dyadic Interactions

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