Psychological Differentiation and Social Structure

Abstract

From a sociopsychological theoretical perspective, the present study was designed to explore the interactive effects of personal and social boundaries on emotional reactions. Members of a group dynamics training conference (N = 41 men and women students) were assessed for level of psychological differentiation and then completed self-report questionnaires following participation in small and large self-study groups. Findings showed that the field dependent (i.e., relatively undifferentiated) members, compared to the field independent participants, reacted more adversely in the large and less structured group context and more positively in the small group setting.