Interpersonal Theory and the Interpersonal Circumplex
Interpersonal functioning is an integrative nexus for psychological science and practice, bringing together a variety of theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of adaptive and maladaptive human behavior ranging from proximal behavioral interaction to mental representations of self and others both past and present. This nomological net, referred to as Contemporary Integrative Interpersonal Theory (CIIT), guides many of the laboratory's research programs. CIIT is broadly informed and influenced by interpersonal theories, trait theories, object-relations theories, attachment theory, social learning theories, and social cognition (see Anchin & Pincus, 2010; Cain & Pincus, in press; Lukowitsky & Pincus, 2011; Pincus, 2005a, 2005b; 2010, 2011; Pincus & Ansell, 2003, 2012; Pincus & Cain, 2008; Pincus & Gurtman, 2006; Pincus & Hopwood, 2012; Pincus, Lukowitsky, & Wright, 2010; Pincus, Lukowitsky, Wright, & Eichler, 2009; Pincus & Wright, 2010).
Contemporary Assumptions of Interpersonal Theory
Assumption 1: The most important expressions of personality and psychopathology occur in phenomena involving more than one person (i.e., "interpersonal situations).
An interpersonal situation can be defined as "the experience of a pattern of relating self with other associated with varying levels of anxiety (or security) in which learning takes place that influences the development of self-concept and social behavior" (Pincus & Ansell, 2003, p. 210).
Assumption 2: Interpersonal situations occur between proximal interactants and within the minds of those interactants via the capacity for perception, mental representation, memory, fantasy, and expectancy.
Assumption 3: Agency and Communion provide an integrative meta-structure for conceptualizing interpersonal situations (see below).
Explicatory systems derived from agency and communion can be used to describe, measure, and explain normal and pathological interpersonal motives, traits, and behaviors.
Such systems can be applied to both proximal interpersonal situations and internal interpersonal situations.
Assumption 4: Interpersonal complementarity is most helpful if considered a common baseline for the field regulatory pulls and invitations of interpersonal behavior.
Chronic deviations from complementarity may be indicative of psychopathology.
The Interpersonal Circumplex
Interpersonal Assessment
Interpersonal assessment can integrate personality, psychopathology and psychotherapy using the nomological net of interpersonal theory and the interpersonal circumplex. See the special series in Journal of Personality Assessment (Pincus, 2010). Research focuses on developing new interpersonal measures and assessment methods. Dr. Pincus is co-developer of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex Scales (IIP-C; Alden, Wiggins, & Pincus, 1990), the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Short Circumplex (IIP-SC; Hopwood, Pincus, DeMoor, & Koonce, 2008), and the Interpersonal Sensitivities Circumplex (ISC; Hopwood, Ansell, Pincus, Wright, Lukowitsky, & Roche, 2011). Other work looks at improving circular statistics for assessment of individuals and groups (Wright, Pincus, Conroy, & Hilsenroth, 2009).
Pathoplasticity
Many symptom-based disorders do not exhibit a specific personality or interpersonal pattern. Pathoplasticity suggests that in some cases personality and psychopathology are not linked, but personality colors the expression of pathology as well as course and treatment response. Several studies have confirmed interpersonal pathoplasticity (i.e., interpersonal suptypes of a specific diagnosis), including generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, unipolar depression, and eating disorders. One example is provided below.
Interpersonal assessment can integrate personality, psychopathology and psychotherapy using the nomological net of interpersonal theory and the interpersonal circumplex. See the special series in Journal of Personality Assessment (Pincus, 2010). Research focuses on developing new interpersonal measures and assessment methods. Dr. Pincus is co-developer of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex Scales (IIP-C; Alden, Wiggins, & Pincus, 1990), the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Short Circumplex (IIP-SC; Hopwood, Pincus, DeMoor, & Koonce, 2008), and the Interpersonal Sensitivities Circumplex (ISC; Hopwood, Ansell, Pincus, Wright, Lukowitsky, & Roche, 2011). Other work looks at improving circular statistics for assessment of individuals and groups (Wright, Pincus, Conroy, & Hilsenroth, 2009).
Pathoplasticity
Many symptom-based disorders do not exhibit a specific personality or interpersonal pattern. Pathoplasticity suggests that in some cases personality and psychopathology are not linked, but personality colors the expression of pathology as well as course and treatment response. Several studies have confirmed interpersonal pathoplasticity (i.e., interpersonal suptypes of a specific diagnosis), including generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, unipolar depression, and eating disorders. One example is provided below.
Interpersonal Pathoplasticity in Generalized Anxiety Disorder
(Przeworski, Newman, Pincus, Kasoff, Yamasaki, & Castonguay, 2011)
(Przeworski, Newman, Pincus, Kasoff, Yamasaki, & Castonguay, 2011)
Interpersonal Signatures and other Dynamic Social Processes in Psychopathology
A current research focus of the lab is investigating dynamic social processes in psychopathology using multiple methods and multiple timescales. One way to model the dynamics of interpersonal behavior is the interpersonal signature. The interpersonal signature describes an if-then relationship between perceiving others' Agency and Communion (if) and responding in a particular way (then). Using intensive repeated measures, we have completed two longitudinal studies examining interpersonal signatures, emotion, and well-being using both paper and electronic (smart phone) data collection. For an overview of our NIH funded study of social processes, see www.isahib.weebly.com. Now using smart phones, we ask participants to describe their social interactions, emotions, and symptoms throughout the day using an intensive repeated measures in natural settings (IRM-NS) paradigm. We are now combining IRM-NS with laboratory based interactions that are also coded for interpersonal behavior while concurrently assessing stress physiology. Our goals include: a) modelling interpersonal signatures that lead to exacerbation and mitigation of symptoms, distress, and dysfunction in psychopathology at both the moment-to-moment transactional level and from interaction to interaction in daily life, b) demonstrate that IRM-NS assessments of patient's daily lives exhibit incremental validity over clinical assessment as usual (i.e., retrospective diagnostic interviews), and c) ultimately provide electronically communicated real-time interventions based on modelling a patient's problematic interpersonal behavior.
A current research focus of the lab is investigating dynamic social processes in psychopathology using multiple methods and multiple timescales. One way to model the dynamics of interpersonal behavior is the interpersonal signature. The interpersonal signature describes an if-then relationship between perceiving others' Agency and Communion (if) and responding in a particular way (then). Using intensive repeated measures, we have completed two longitudinal studies examining interpersonal signatures, emotion, and well-being using both paper and electronic (smart phone) data collection. For an overview of our NIH funded study of social processes, see www.isahib.weebly.com. Now using smart phones, we ask participants to describe their social interactions, emotions, and symptoms throughout the day using an intensive repeated measures in natural settings (IRM-NS) paradigm. We are now combining IRM-NS with laboratory based interactions that are also coded for interpersonal behavior while concurrently assessing stress physiology. Our goals include: a) modelling interpersonal signatures that lead to exacerbation and mitigation of symptoms, distress, and dysfunction in psychopathology at both the moment-to-moment transactional level and from interaction to interaction in daily life, b) demonstrate that IRM-NS assessments of patient's daily lives exhibit incremental validity over clinical assessment as usual (i.e., retrospective diagnostic interviews), and c) ultimately provide electronically communicated real-time interventions based on modelling a patient's problematic interpersonal behavior.