INTERDEPENDENCE AND THE INTERPERSONAL SENSE OF CONTROL - AN ANALYSIS OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Family members' beliefs about their ability to influence one another were investigated in 51 2-parent, 2-child families. Three reliable dimensions were identified: (a) effectance-a feeling of personal control in the relationship, (b) acquiescence-the belief that one is controlled by the partner, and (c) fate-the belief that relationship outcomes are due to fate, chance, or unknown factors. The existence of interdependence in these control dimensions was investigated using the Social Relations Model. The results demonstrate that the interpersonal sense of control is virtually never a function of the perceiver alone but depends also on characteristics of the partner and the relationship. The findings underscore the importance of basing theory on well-described data.