Interdependence and Psychological Orientation

Abstract

This chapter present a theoretical analysis of the relations between types of social relations and types of psychological orientations. Social relations are characterized in terms of five dimensions: cooperation-competition, power distribution, task-oriented versus social-emotional, formal versus informal, and importance. Psychological orientations are composed of the following component orientations: cognitive, motivational, moral, and action. It is hypothesized that there is a strong tendency for a fit between the type of social relation and type of psychological orientation. The lack of fit produced a drive to change so that fit occurs.