THE ROLE OF OBSERVATIONAL METHODS IN THE ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOR INTERACTION IN SMALL-GROUPS

This article describes an observational methodology for the assessment and analysis of behavior interactions in small groups and its links t o a theory of behavior interaction between two or more persons. The ob servational method requires the development of a category system and t he selection of an interactional setting to which it is applied, recor ding and coding procedures, and the identification of sequential depen dencies of behavior categories. The method is illustrated by describin g its application to the investigation of family triads. The substanti ve assumptions of the theory of behavior interaction in triads ore out lined, and some results of their empirical test are reported. Finally, the issue of dependence of the degree of corroboration of the theory on the observational methods used to test the theory is discussed.