In the present study we investigated whether social exchanges such as a conversation in an online platform impacts the perceived physical and psychological closeness between the interlocutors as a function of the reference content of the conversation. We developed an interactive paradigm in which participants were asked to virtually converse with another individual (interactive condition) or to write a few sentences alone without interacting with him/her (non-interactive condition). The topic of the verbal productions could be an abstract or a concrete concept. After the verbal production (interactive or not interactive), both interpersonal and psychological distances were evaluated. The interpersonal distance was measured through a VAS scale in which participants indicated the preferential physical distance they would keep from the other person they had just conversed with (Fini et al., 2021); and the psychological distance through the Inclusion of the Other in the Self (IOS) (Aron et al., 1992). Moreover, participants were asked to rate on a VAS scale the Pleasantness, Intimacy and Commitment experienced during the verbal production. Moreover, only in the interactive condition, the Other contribution to the conversation, the Self contribution, and Perceived difficulty were also evaluated as interaction index of the conversation quality. Results showed that conversing with another person on an online platform led participants to feel both physically and psychologically closer to the interlocutor, compared to when they did not interact but were aware of the presence of the other. Most importantly for our hypothesis, the results showed that, after conversing about abstract topics, the higher the actor evaluated the other’s contribution, the more she/he felt psychologically close to the interlocutor. As suggested by the Social Metacognition Theory (Borghi et al., 2018), processing abstract meanings might require a productive negotiation of intellectual contributions. Here we show that a successful verbal exchange might also impact self-other processes between the interactors.
Abstract Concepts Enhance Closeness in Online Conversations / Cuomo, Giovanna; Fini, C.; Era, V.; Mazzuca, C.; Winter, B.; Candidi, M.; Borghi, A. M.. - (2022). (Intervento presentato al convegno Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di Psicofisiologia e Neuroscienze Cognitive, "The Developing Brain" tenutosi a Università degli Studi di Udine Polo Economico – Aula 3 e Aula 2, Via Tomadini 30/A – 33100, Udine (UD)).
Abstract Concepts Enhance Closeness in Online Conversations
Giovanna Cuomo;C. Fini;V. Era;C. Mazzuca;B. Winter;M. Candidi;A. M Borghi
2022
Abstract
In the present study we investigated whether social exchanges such as a conversation in an online platform impacts the perceived physical and psychological closeness between the interlocutors as a function of the reference content of the conversation. We developed an interactive paradigm in which participants were asked to virtually converse with another individual (interactive condition) or to write a few sentences alone without interacting with him/her (non-interactive condition). The topic of the verbal productions could be an abstract or a concrete concept. After the verbal production (interactive or not interactive), both interpersonal and psychological distances were evaluated. The interpersonal distance was measured through a VAS scale in which participants indicated the preferential physical distance they would keep from the other person they had just conversed with (Fini et al., 2021); and the psychological distance through the Inclusion of the Other in the Self (IOS) (Aron et al., 1992). Moreover, participants were asked to rate on a VAS scale the Pleasantness, Intimacy and Commitment experienced during the verbal production. Moreover, only in the interactive condition, the Other contribution to the conversation, the Self contribution, and Perceived difficulty were also evaluated as interaction index of the conversation quality. Results showed that conversing with another person on an online platform led participants to feel both physically and psychologically closer to the interlocutor, compared to when they did not interact but were aware of the presence of the other. Most importantly for our hypothesis, the results showed that, after conversing about abstract topics, the higher the actor evaluated the other’s contribution, the more she/he felt psychologically close to the interlocutor. As suggested by the Social Metacognition Theory (Borghi et al., 2018), processing abstract meanings might require a productive negotiation of intellectual contributions. Here we show that a successful verbal exchange might also impact self-other processes between the interactors.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
