The Use of Orientation Asymmetry as a Cue in the Interpretation of Schematic Social Configurations

Summary

Descriptions were prepared of four dyadic social encounters in which one interactor was expected to have greater need for or tolerance of direct gaze than the other. Subjects listened to one of the descriptions and were shown a set of figure pairs mounted on cards in asymmetrical orientation patterns. They were asked to identify one of the interactors described to them with one of the figures on the stimulus card. It was predicted that if they were asked to identify the high eye-contact interactor they would select the more directly facing of the two figures, but if asked to select the low eye-contact interactor they would select the less directly facing figure. Although responses were to some extent determined by the characteristics of the figures themselves, the cue furnished by the asymmetrical orientation patterns also proved to be a powerful determiner of choices, in accordance with prediction. It is argued that results provide a basis for the interpretation of figure placements obtained with the doll placement technique.