The Relationship of Exchange-Orientation To Friendship Intensity, Roommate Compatibility, Anxiety, and Friendship

In: Small group behavior, Band 17, Heft 1, S. 3-17

Abstract

The Exchange-Orientation Scale (E) was given to 98 randomly assigned roommate pairs at three New England colleges at the beginning of the semester. It was predicted that interpersonal compatibility, as measured by a roommate compatibility rating and a friendship intensity score given three months later, would be higher for nonexchange couples as compared to exchange couples. It wasfurtherpredicted that anxiety would be correlated with E for women but not for men, and that paranoia would be associated with Efor both women and men. All hypotheses were substantiated except the one regarding paranoia. The results are discussed in terms of the role of E in interpersonal relationships.