Antecedents of interpersonal communication motivation

Abstract

According to Schutz's theory of interpersonal motives and the uses and gratifications perspective, people communicate to gratify felt needs or wants. In this study we examined two main antecedents affecting motives for communicating interpersonally: life‐position and locus‐of‐control. Canonical correlation analysis supported our expectations for a sample of 428 persons: life position indicators were related to interpersonal communication motivation, and interpersonal motivations were congruent with the locus‐of‐control predisposition. We discussed the implications of these findings.

Key concepts:

• Contextual age
• interpersonal motives
• locus of control
• life position
• uses and gratifications.