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10 - Pursuing Interpersonal Value

An Interdependence Perspective

from Part III - Interdependence, Goal Pursuit, and Person Factors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 June 2020

By
Edward P. Lemay
Edited by
Laura V. Machia ,
Christopher R. Agnew  and
Ximena B. Arriaga
Laura V. Machia
Affiliation:
Syracuse University, New York
Christopher R. Agnew
Affiliation:
Purdue University, Indiana
Ximena B. Arriaga
Affiliation:
Purdue University, Indiana
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Summary

The quality of interactions and relationships depends on the thoughts and feelings of both partners. Hence, people often try to manage the thoughts and feelings others have about them. This chapter reports the results of a program of research examining the role of interpersonal value goals – goals to be valued as a relationship partner – in interpersonal interactions and relationships. This research suggests that adopting the goal to be valued by others often motivates people to enact prosocial behaviors and adopt compassionate goals, and elicits positive responses from partners. The link between interpersonal value goals and prosocial behavior was particularly strong when participants endorsed lay theories that prosocial behavior elevates people’s interpersonal value and when they were immersed in relationship contexts in which specific partners rewarded their prosocial behavior, suggesting that selection of prosocial strategies as a means to pursue interpersonal value depends on explicit and tacit knowledge of interdependence.

Keywords

Close relationshipsprosocial behaviorcommitmentcommunal motivationcompassionate goalsself-image goalsself-presentationapprovalresponsivenesssecurity
Type
Chapter
Information
Interdependence, Interaction, and Close Relationships , pp. 204 - 224
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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