cognitive interdependence

the tendency of individuals in close, committed relationships to think of themselves less in individual terms and more as partners in a dyadic relationship. For example, cognitive interdependence leads people to increase their use of plural pronouns (we, us, our) while decreasing their use of singular pronouns (I, me, my). Cognitive interdependence is thought to reflect mental processes that stem from the meshing of perspectives, goals, and identities that characterizes committed relationships and is most commonly observed in romantic relationships such as marriage.

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Psychology term of the day

May 10th 2024

social psychology

as defined by Gordon W. Allport, the study of how an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by the actual, imagined, or symbolically represented presence of other people. Psychological social psychology differs from sociological social psychology in that the former tends to put greater emphasis on internal psychological processes, whereas the latter focuses on factors that affect social life, such as status, role, and class.