Interpersonal complementarity principle (Leary Circumplex / Carson)¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 2 claims (1 for, 1 mixed) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article organizes its hypotheses around the complementarity principle from the Leary Interpersonal Circumplex: high-probability elicitation-response sequences (dominance followed by submissiveness, submissiveness followed by dominance, friendliness followed by friendliness, hostility followed by hostility) are labeled complementary. Carson "purposes that their frequency is related to the fact that such complementary interactions are reinforcing to both participants, contribute to the maintenance of existing behavior patterns, reduce C'' ety, and promote increased relatedness." Conversely, anti-complementary exchanges purportedly generate anxiety and are behaviorally disconfirming. The study tests competing predictions: Carson's view that therapists should avoid complementarity to the client's maladjusted elicitations versus Swensen's view that highly complementary relationships are most successful.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Rests on the interpersonal behavioral analysis system that scores each response unit into one of four Circumplex quadrants defined by dominant-submissive and affiliative-disaffiliative axes.

Constraints¶

• The article notes the opposing theoretical positions of Carson and Swensen, and that the author found no prior research articles testing Carson's position before this study.

Target Learners¶

• psychotherapy clients and the therapists who treat them

Target Learning Objectives¶

• facilitating constructive client change through staged interpersonal responding

Claims¶

• Middle Stage Lower Complementarity Successful Therapists [+M]
• Overall Therapist Complementarity Not Related To Therapy Outcome [~M]

Related Theories¶

Examples¶

• Therapist Complementarity Index (CI) derived from a weighted 4x4 Interaction Matrix

Key Sources¶

• Dietzel, C. S.; Abeles, Norman. (1974). Client-Therapist Complementarity and Therapeutic Outcome. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED091646. doi:10.1037/h0076731