Close Relationships and Complementary Interpersonal Styles Among Men and Women

An important assumption in interpersonal theory is that complementary interpersonal styles characterize close relationships. Using the Revised Interpersonal Adjective Scale (J. S. Wiggins, 1991) and the Relationship Closeness Inventory (E. Berscheid, M. Snyder, & A. M. Omoto, 1989), 48 American college students (24 men, 24 women) answered questions on their own interpersonal styles and those of their close and not close, same-gender friends. Results revealed that a complementarity of interpersonal styles was present in the close, same-gender relationships of the women but not of the men. Women reported engaging in more activities overall and in more diverse activities with their close friends than men. However, women and men did not differ in how important close relationships were to them.