An Analysis of the Correspondence Between Imagined Interaction Attributes and Functions

Imagined interaction (II) theory has been productive for communication and social cognition scholarship. There is, however, a yet untested assumption within II theory that the 8 attributes are related to all 6 functions and that II functions can be compared and contrasted in terms of II attributes. In addition, there is little research exploring the multidimensional nature of functions and attributes. This article tests the internal structure of II theory by investigating the relations among functions and attributes in 2 studies. Both studies revealed complex associations between the attributes and functions of IIs and provide partial confirmatory evidence for the theory. The discussion integrates findings from these 2 studies and provides avenues for future research.