Developing and Testing a Sorting Measure of Interpersonal Cognitive Complexity.

Autor/in	Williams, Sheryl L.
Titel	Developing and Testing a Sorting Measure of Interpersonal Cognitive Complexity.
Quelle	(1994), (29 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Classification; Communication Research; Comparative Analysis; Construct Validity; Higher Education; Interpersonal Communication; Student Attitudes; Undergraduate Students + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Classification system; Klassifikation; Klassifikationssystem; Kommunikationsforschung; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Interpersonale Kommunikation; Schülerverhalten
Abstract	A study compared the newly developed Interpersonal Complexity Sort (ICS) with the widely used measure of cognitive differentiation, the Role Category Questionnaire (RCQ). Both measures were tested for relationships between the two measures and between each measure and previous associated impression structure dependent measures. Using a trait presentation model, 94 undergraduates enrolled in three different universities were presented with target person descriptions. Then they produced subsequent written impressions. Impression structure dependent measures were derived from the written impressions. Prior to the trait presentation task, participants were pretested for level of cognitive complexity/differentiation through the completion of both complexity instruments. Results for the direct correlational analysis showed only a weak relationship between the two complexity measures. In comparing the two methods of measuring complexity/differentiation with regards to the impression structure measures, the ICS did not compare favorably with the RCQ. Findings suggest that the sorting instrument may be an indication of hierarchic integration and the RCQ may serve as a measure of differentiation. The sorting measure may hold promise in understanding the content and hierarchical structure of perceivers' cognitive maps of others. The instrument may prove useful in the extension of the differentiation research which is now seeking to learn more about the content of the constructs. (Contains 43 references. A table of data, a list of traits for sorting task, and the overall negative and overall positive valenced impression sets are attached.) (Author/RS)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC