Gender Differences in Interpersonal Complementarity Within Roommate Dyads

Abstract

Complementarity theory proposes specific hypotheses regarding interpersonal styles that will result in successful relationships. The present study sought to extend previous research on gender differences in complementarity through the examination of same-sex peer dyads and the use of informant reports of interpersonal style. One hundred twenty participants (30 male and 30 female roommate dyads) completed interpersonal circumplex ratings of their roommates and a relationship cohesion measure. Examinations of complementarity indicate that women reported significantly more complementarity than men within their roommate dyads. However, for men and women, the closer the dyad was to perfect complementarity in terms of dominance, the more cohesive the relationship. Results are discussed in relation to gender differences in social development.

Deciding to Dissolve: Individual- and Relationship-Level Predictors of Roommate Breakup

“…Hill, Rubin, and Peplau (1976) found that similarity in age, physical attractiveness, educational aspirations, and intelligence are positively related to relationship stability. At the same time, Ansell, Kurtz, and Markey (2008) found that similarity on warmth and complementarity on dominance predicts cohesion among same-sex college roommates. The evidence for similarity effects is wider and stronger than the evidence for complementarity effects, but both reflect emergent properties of the relationship.…”

Coaches and Clients in Action: A Sequential Analysis of Interpersonal Coach and Client Behavior

“…First, the coaches in our sample do not necessarily represent the large variety of professional coaches in the field (e.g., in terms of gender, age, experience, cultural background, and coaching approach). As our sample included predominantly female coaches and clients, the data did not allow for analyzing gender effects, although previous research suggests gender differences in interpersonal dissimilarity (Ansell et al 2008). As the dominance and affiliation values of the male coach did not differ substantially from female coach values, we did not exclude the corresponding dyad from our analysis.…”

Trust Development: Testing a New Model in Undergraduate Roommate Relationships

“…Kurtz and colleagues suggest that roommate pairs are ideal for research into interpersonal relationships because they occur in a natural and unstructured setting, but allow experimental control when students are randomly assigned to rooms and ratings are collected at specific intervals following their acquaintance. These circumstances provide researchers with a unique opportunity to study newly formed same sex peer dyads interacting across situations and over time (Ansell et al, 2008;Kurtz & Sherker, 2003;Markey & Kurtz , 2006). In addition to the work on interpersonal relationships between roommates by Kurtz and Sherker, others have used roommate pairs to evaluate the relationship between trait ambiguity and self-peer agreement in personality judgment (i.e.…”