Social Conflict Avoidance: Is It a Unique Construct

To test the uniqueness of Social Conflict Avoidance (SCA), it was compared with nonassertiveness, shyness, low masculinity, and Self-defeating Personality Disorder. These four variables correlated highly with SCA in Brock (1994). Participants were 222 undergraduate students (110 male, 112 female) at a large Midwestern university. Both hierarchical multiple regression techniques and correlational analyses were used to demonstrate SCA's independence. In Step 1, SCA at Time 2 was predicted by nonassertiveness, shyness, low masculinity, and Self-defeating Personality Disorder. In Step 2, SCA at Time 1 was added to the equation as a fifth predictor of SCA at Time 2. SCA was found to have unique variance over and above that of the other four variables of interest. SCA also manifested a divergent correlational pattern from the other four variables. Most unique to SCA was its high relationship to self-image variables, (i.e., self-esteem, self-acceptance, and self-consciousness). SCA also proved highly related to Fear of Negative Evaluation and Fear of Appearing Incompetent. These data point to the internal world of the social conflict avoider as being most crucial in distinguishing SCA from other related variables. A behavioral rating technique also yielded behavioral examples (e.g., appearing nervous, laughter, less looking at the other party, a closed body posture, and less talk of achievement) differentiating high SCA individuals from low SCA individuals. These behavioral examples were also found to vary depending on the genders comprising the dyad.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Brock, Karla Faye

Contributors dc:contributor

• Fitzgerald, Louise F.

• Psychology, Social

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9904396

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/80234