MAPPING NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR ON THE INTERPERSONAL CIRCLE

Whether and how personality is encoded in nonverbal behavior is reexamined. Behavior mapping, a recently developed approach designed to produce more focused answers, is used. Conversations among same-sex triads were scored for numerous seated kinesic behaviors. After winnowing some behaviors according to standard psychometric and behavior-mapping criteria, 6 behaviors of the head, hands, and legs could be clearly mapped on the interpersonal circle. Three of the 4 bipolar axes of the circle were primary axes for at least 1 behavior, although most are aligned with the Gregarious-Extraverted to Aloof-Introverted axis. Behavior mapping reaffirms that the interpersonal circle orders actual behavior (is not a merely cognitive ordering) and that it is a fruitful method for specifying behavior in terms of personality or vice versa.