The Ecological Theory of Social Perception Is Dyadic: Conceptual and Empirical Implications

The Ecological Theory of Social Perception (ETSP) is inherently dyadic but has been narrowly construed with insufficient recognition of its full theoretical breadth. In a dyad, person A perceives person B, while person B perceives A; perception is bidirectional, and each person is simultaneously a perceiver and a target. Most tests of ETSP have been unidirectional focusing on the target's effect on the perceiver. Here, we modeled individuals' (called key persons) perceptions of dyadic relationships in the workplace. We measured Black and White key persons' perceptions of listening quality and social support among well-acquainted in-group and out-group colleagues (called nominees). An idiographic within-person research design and social relations modeling revealed perceiver, target, and uniqueness components in key persons' perceptions of coworkers. An egocentric bias was observed; key persons perceive dyadic listening and support as better when they are a member of the dyad. Key persons perceived dyadic work relationships as reciprocal, though reciprocity far exceeds nomothetic estimates. Recognition of dyadic processes specified explicitly by ETSP clarifies the theoretical focus, while enhancing construct and statistical validities.