A systemic approach to the measurement of dominance in human face‐to‐face interaction

This paper proposes a set of procedures for the holistic empirical assessment of dominance in human face‐to‐face interaction. Dominance is conceptualized as a multibehavioral construct and an emphasis is placed on the systemic and complementary nature of the verbal and nonverbal behaviors which reflect it, particularly in face‐to‐face settings. The development and application of the procedures in a study of 36 dyads is described. Data supporting the reliability, discriminatory power, empirical verifiability, and predictive utility of the procedures are also presented. Some present strengths and limitations, as well as potential uses of these procedures, are discussed in the conclusion of the paper.