ASSESSING THE INTERPERSONAL TRANSACTION CYCLE - CONVERGENCE OF ACTIONAND REACTION INTERPERSONAL CIRCUMPLEX MEASURES

Contemporary interpersonal theory uses 2 models to represent the proce ss and content of interpersonal transactions. The interpersonal transa ction cycle is a dynamic model demonstrating the interaction between t he overt behaviors and the covert intrapsychic experiences of 2 intera cting individuals in action-reaction event chains. The interpersonal c ircle is a static model codifying individual differences across variou s interpersonal content domains (e.g., traits, acts, problems, impacts ). The present study used 150 pairs of undergraduates to demonstrate c ross-observer structural convergence of 2 separate interpersonal circu mplex inventories measuring the ''action'' and ''reaction'' components of the transaction cycle, providing evidence that both components of the cycle can be captured by existing circumplex measures, and allowin g researchers to proceed on to more comprehensive tests of interperson al theory.