To Match or Not to Match: Effects of Behavioral Congruence on Interpersonal Connectedness

This study examined interactions among 96 American college students and tested the prediction that adaptation patterns influence perceptions of interpersonal connectedness. It was proposed that matching positive behavior and not matching negative behavior is interpreted as communicating the most connectedness. Matching negative behavior and not matching positive behavior carries the opposite connotative meaning. These predictions were partially supported. Although the interaction of adaptation and the valence of the stimulus behavior affected the students' encoded meanings of connectedness, it did not influence the extent to which receivers actually felt more connected to senders. This finding suggests the importance of examining multiple perspectives in interaction research rather than presuming that any 1 perspective accurately characterizes the dyad or group.