Many important psychological phenomena occur in social interactions, which can be influenced by factors related to the individual interactants, the dyad, or aspects of the situation. The current study seeks to investigate the effects of specific person, relationship, and situation factors on patterns of interpersonal behavior that occur during a social interaction. Four samples were examined: 1) unacquainted undergraduates, 2) undergraduates with a confederate, 3) husbands and wives, and 4) mothers and children. Analyses tested the impact of individual sex, dyadic familiarity, and situational conflict on momentary warmth and dominance, interpersonal complementarity, and changes in warmth and dominance over the course of the interaction. Results indicated a limited effect of sex. Unfamiliar dyads were significantly more submissive, warmer, less complementary on dominance, more complementary on warmth, and warmer over time than familiar dyads. Individuals in conflict tasks were significantly more dominant, colder, more complementary on dominance, less complementary on warmth, less dominant over time, and less warm over time than individuals in non-conflict tasks. The findings within the current study offer unique implications related to the factors that may influence the patterns and outcomes of social interactions.
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