Pursuing relational goals in requests: The effects of dispositional factors and type of relationship

Abstract

This study hypothesized that (a) verbal aggressiveness and self‐monitoring predict individual differences in the importance of habitual relational goals, and (b) habitual goals and relationship features interact to predict the importance of relational goals in a specific request message. Results indicate that the importance of habitual goals to provide support, maintain a positive relationship, and manage one's impression are negatively related to verbal aggressiveness and positively related to self‐monitoring. Both traits are positively related to a habitual goal to dominate. The effects of three habitual relational goals on the importance of the corresponding situation‐specific goal depend on such relational features as hearer status, intimacy, and liking. Habitual relational goals appear to be better predictors than traits of situation‐specific goals.