Entry #21 - Movement among Situations: Where Do We Go from Here?

Summary

Examples

Interpersonal life is not limited to responding to situations. Social interactions and relationships also unfold through movement among situations, or situation selection, which involves the choice to enter another situation or to change an existing situation in a significant manner. Choosing to enter another situation, or to change an existing situation, brings the individual, the interaction partner, or the pair (or even an entire group) to situations that are “new” (i.e., different from the previous situation) in terms of outcomes, options, or both.

Whether to attend a party, visit parents-in-law, or sit close or not so close to a colleague at a dinner party are examples of situation selections that involve entering (or avoiding) a new situation. Also, individuals may choose to interact in “cooperative situations,” when, for example, they seek out each other's company (e.g., “let's have a beer”), or “competitive situations,” when, for example, they seek out a situation in which to compare their strength or ability (e.g., “let's play a game of chess”). These examples illustrate situation selections in which an individual actively seeks to enter a particular situation. However, situation selections are also revealed in changing a situation, such as, for example, stopping work on a joint project, changing the topic of conversation during dinner, or leaving a party early.

The reader will note that the above examples illustrate fairly explicit forms of situation selections.