An Atlas of Interpersonal Situations

A comprehensive analysis of the impact of situations on human behavior.

Harold H. Kelley (Author), John G. Holmes (Author), Norbert L. Kerr (Author), Harry T. Reis (Author), Caryl E. Rusbult (Author), Paul A. M. Van Lange (Author)

9780521812528, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 3 February 2003

520 pages, 11 b/w illus. 69 tables
24.2 x 16.1 x 4.2 cm, 0.93 kg

"The authors advance knowledge about interdependence among people, continuing a discussion that originated with Kurt Lewin.... Recommended." Choice

The Atlas of Interpersonal Situations provides a systematic theoretical account for understanding the impact of situations on patterns of social interaction. Structured around descriptions of twenty-one of the most common situations that people encounter in everyday life, the authors aim to provide readers with the tools needed to understand how those situations influence interpersonal behavior. These descriptions are intended to be freestanding, each one providing analysis, research examples, and everyday descriptions of the prototypical situation. The authors build upon the tools of interdependence theory, which stresses the manner in which people's outcomes are determined by the structure of their interaction with each other. This analysis makes clear exactly what is 'social' about 'social psychology'.

Foreword
Part I. Introduction and Theory: 1. Interpersonal situations: the context of social behavior
2. Outcome interdependence
3. Interaction conditions and person factors
4. Exploring the geography of the outcome patterns
Part II The Situations: Preface to the Entries for the Situations
Single Component Patterns: 1. Independence: we go our separate ways
2. Mutual partner control: I scratch your back, you scratch mine
3. Corresponding mutual joint control: getting in sync
4. Conflicting mutual joint control: match or mismatch
Two- and three-component patterns: 5. The prisoner's dilemma: me versus we
6. Threat: trading loyalty for justice
7. Chicken: death before dishonor
8. Hero: let's do it your way
9. Conjunctive problems: together we can do it
10. Disjunctive problems: either of us can do it
11. Asymmetric dependence: you're the boss
Time-extended patterns: 12. Iterated prisoner's dilemma: united we stand, divided we fall
13. Investment: building for the future
14. Delay of gratification: resisting temptation
Incomplete information situations
15. Negotiation: can we agree on a deal?
16. Encounters with strangers: lack of information about a partner
17. Joint decisions under uncertainty: bird in the hand
18. Twists of fate: coping with an uncertain future
N-person Situations
19. Third parties: effects of an outsider
20. N-person prisoner's dilemma: tragedy of the commons
Movement from one situation to another
21. Movement among situations: where do we go from here?
Part III. Epilogue.

Subject Areas: The self, ego, identity, personality [JMS]