The Implicit Structure of Influence Strategies and Social Relationships

Abstract

Research on the implicit structure of influence strategies and research on the implicit structure of relationships were combined. Forty respondents rated how (un)common each of 26 influence strategies was in each of 24 relationships. By means of multiple correspondence analysis the implicit structure of relationships and the implicit structure of influence strategies were established simultaneously. A three-dimensional structure was found with the dimensions of cooperation versus competition, more powerful versus less powerful, and social-emotional versus task-oriented. It is concluded that relationships and influence strategies are aspects of the same cognitive schema of social influence.