science

Interpersonal adaptation theory

Interpersonal adaptation theory is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Interpersonal adaptation theory rather than just read about it. In short: Interpersonal (or interaction) adaptation theory (IAT) is often referred to as a theory of theories. Several theories have been developed to provide frameworks as explanations of social interactions.

Key takeaways

Interpersonal adaptation theory belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Interpersonal adaptation theory to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Interpersonal adaptation theory from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Interpersonal (or interaction) adaptation theory (IAT) is often referred to as a theory of theories. Several theories have been developed to provide frameworks as explanations of social interactions. After reviewing and examining various communication theories and previous empirical evidence pertaining to interpersonal communication, a need to address ways in which individuals adapt to one another in interactions became apparent. The importance of observing both sides of a dyadic interaction lead to the development of the interpersonal adaptation theory. The theory states, individuals enter interactions with expectations, requirements, and desires, which combined establish an interaction position. Once the interaction begins, the difference between interaction position and the other party's actual behavior determines whether the individual will adapt and continue the communication positively or not.

Background In 1995, Judee K. Burgoon, Lesa Stern, and Leesa Dillman published a book titled, Interpersonal Adaptation: Dyadic Interaction Patterns in which they described their findings on a "new" theory which drew from the results of previous theories. Burgoon and her team examined fifteen previous models and considered the most important conclusions from the previous empirical research. They reviewed theories based in biological, arousal and affect, approach and avoidance, compensation and reciprocity, communication and cognitive, and social norms models. The conclusion after consideration of a multitude of theories and models stated, "while most theories predict a mix of patterns rather than committing to a single dominant pattern, they conflict over which patterns are likely under a given set of conditions." The theories and the models from which they are derived include:

Biologically based models: interacting individuals will exhibit similar behaviors to one another. Patterns presumed to be innate based on basic needs in bonding, safety, and social organization Motor mimicry – describes an interaction and how an interactant will mimic another, usually out of empathy, or perceived empathy Interactional synchrony Mirroring Arousal-based and affect-based models: internal and emotional states are driving forces in people's decisions to approach or avoid others Affiliative conflict theory (ACT) – Argyle and Dean (1965) – individuals have needs for both affiliation and autonomy Discrepancy arousal theory (DAT) – Cappella and Green (1982) – predicts discrepancies from expected behavior patterns produce arousal change Approach and avoidance models: reciprocity and compensation Arousal-labeling theory – Patterson (1976) – external factors influence how an individual will react in any given interaction Social-norm models: out of felt social obligation, individuals will reciprocate the behaviors they receive from others Norm of reciprocity – out of social obligation, an individual will respond in the same manner as another Communication accommodation theory (CAT) – Gallois et al. (1991) and Giles (1973) – considers the way an individual interacts with another based on the context of the interaction Social exchange theory Resource exchange theory Communication and cognitive based models: communication-related cognitions and behaviors, analyzing the interaction patterns and the meaning behavioral patterns convey Sequential functional model – explains the stability of interaction and how each interactant accommodates the other Combined elements of preceding models: Expectancy violations theory (EVT) – Burgoon (1978) – an interaction can be described positively or negatively based on an individual's expectations and the actual behavior of the other person Cognitive valence theory (CVT) – Andersen (1985) – describes and explains the process of intimacy exchange within a dyad relationship These previous theories combined with empirical evidence resulting from Burgoon's and her colleagues' own studies, birthed the interpersonal adaptation theory.

Definitions Requirements – interactant's basic human needs and drives; i.e. survival, safety, comfort, autonomy, affiliation Expectations – what is anticipated based on social norms, social prescriptions, individuated knowledge of the other's behavior; i.e. self-presentation, and demands Desires – highly personalized, one's goals, likes, and dislikes Interaction position – a net assessment of what is needed, anticipated, and preferred as the dyadic interaction pattern in a situation Actual behavior – partner's actual performed communicative behavior in an interaction Convergence – the act of becoming more alike as a relationship progresses. If one interactant identifies and wants to be integrated with another, the first interactant will converge toward the communication behaviors of the other, adapting to rate of speech, volume, pauses, utterances, vocabulary, posture, and/or mode of dress. Divergence – the opposite of convergence; becoming more dissimilar. Divergence occurs when interactants try to accentuate communicative differences between themselves and another interactant Mirroring – an individual's behavior becomes identical to the other party's behavior; also referred to at matching Compensation – an individual reacting dissimilar to another individual's response Reciprocity – an individual will react in a similar way to another individual's reaction Maintenance – an individual's communicative behaviors and patterns attempt to maintain stability throughout an interaction

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Interpersonal adaptation theory

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Interpersonal adaptation theory claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Interpersonal adaptation theory before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Interpersonal adaptation theory ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Interpersonal adaptation theory

In research: Interpersonal adaptation theory appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Interpersonal adaptation theory in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Interpersonal adaptation theory is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Communication theory, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Interpersonal adaptation theory outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Interpersonal adaptation theory in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Interpersonal adaptation theory means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Interpersonal adaptation theory out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Interpersonal adaptation theory in simple terms?

Interpersonal (or interaction) adaptation theory (IAT) is often referred to as a theory of theories. Several theories have been developed to provide frameworks as explanations of social interactions.

Why does Interpersonal adaptation theory matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Interpersonal adaptation theory?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Interpersonal adaptation theory.