Verbal, nonverbal, and gender-related factors in negative interpersonal reactions toward depressed and anxious individuals
Coyne (1976) first reported that depressed individuals are negatively appraised in interpersonal situations, yet few studies have examined the specificity of this effect with respect to depressed vs. anxious individuals. Moreover, little research has examined the role that verbal and nonverbal behaviors, and gender-related factors may play in interpersonal consequences. In our first experiment, participants watched a videotape of a female actor in which distressed or nondistressed nonverbal behaviors were paired with disclosures of one of three content types: depressed, anxious, and nondepressed/nonanxious (neutral). I found that negative interpersonal reactions occur in response to anxious targets as well as depressed targets; further, I provided evidence that nonverbal behaviors, in addition to verbal disclosures, elicit negative interpersonal consequences. The first aim of the second experiment was to replicate these findings. In addition, I also examined the roles of gender and gender stereotypes in the generation of negative reactions to distress. The paradigm from the first experiment was repeated with a different scenario, and with both male and female actors. I replicated our earlier finding regarding the importance of both verbal and nonverbal behaviors in interpersonal consequences of depression and anxiety, although I observed stronger negative reactions to depressive than to anxious verbalizations. I also found that interpersonal ratings of male targets tended to be more negative than for female targets when distressed nonverbal behaviors were exhibited. An examination of gender stereotypes indicated that male targets were viewed as deviating from positive masculine stereotypes when exhibiting distressed nonverbal behaviors, a finding that parallels the observation of negative reactions in target males in the distressed nonverbal condition. It is possible that perceived deviations from gender stereotypes mediate the relation, in target males, between distressed nonverbal behavior and negative interpersonal reactions. I discuss potential applications for these findings, including the importance of focusing on interpersonal behaviors in psychotherapy
Thesis, Dissertation, English, 1998