Need approval, uncertainty anxiety, and expectancies of interview behavior

• Published in: Journal of counseling psychology 1972-11, Vol.19 (6), p.522-528
• Main Authors: Doster, Joseph A, Slaymaker, Judith
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; College Students; Expectations; Human; Need Satisfaction; Psychodiagnostic Interview; Self-Disclosure; Social Approval
• ISSN: 0022-0167; 1939-2168
• DOI: 10.1037/h0033576

161 undergraduates completed the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale and the Uncertainty Anxiety Scale and then participated in 1 of 2 popular client role induction exercises. Following the latter, Ss predicted their own depth of self-disclosure and personal comfort level in a forthcoming dyadic interview with a psychologist. Ss who were more averse to uncertainty or novelty in their lives, either of an intrapersonal or interpersonal nature, tended to view the interview as a potentially unpleasant, low-disclosure involvement experience. Counselor-type interventions, including topical focus and client role preparation affected S expectancies. Responses of Ss to topics selected for the interview indicated that expected self-disclosure output was inversely related to the interpersonal risk value of topics. Ss low in need for social approval were especially sensitive to the different role-training exercises, lowering both disclosure and comfort expectancies as their interview role behavior was made more clear. (23 ref.)