DYSPHORIA AND SOCIAL-INTERACTION - AN INTEGRATION OF BEHAVIORAL CONFIRMATION AND INTERPERSONAL PERSPECTIVES

To investigate the process by which dysphoric persons are rejected by others, the authors integrated behavioral confirmation and interperson al theories of depression. The expectations of nondysphoric perceiver participants (college students) were manipulated, such that half expec ted to interact with a same-sex dysphoric target and half expected to interact with a same-sex nondysphoric target. The targets' actual mood status was consistent or inconsistent with these expectations. Pre- a nd postinteraction impressions, as well as postinteraction acceptance of partners, were solicited from perceivers and targets (N = 240). Aud iotaped verbal behaviors were coded during the Ist and last 3 min of t he interactions. Acceptance of targets and verbal behaviors were an in teractive function oi perceivers' expectancies and targets' mood statu s, such that dysphoric targets who were expected to be nondysphoric we re the least accepted group and had the most dysfunctional interaction s.