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Under review

Stable and Context-Sensitive Components of Interpersonal Complementarity

Gilbert, K. J., Bachofner, F., Trenkenschuh, M., & Hopwood, C. J.

2026Empirical study

The relational puzzle

A relationship can feel stable even when the interaction changes from one conversation to the next.

This project asks how characteristic patterns of coordination coexist with situational change. It focuses on the distinction between what belongs to the couple and what emerges from the conversational context.

Shift the interpersonal lens

Warmth, dominance, and context organize different parts of the exchange.

Warmth complementarity concerns the reciprocal regulation of connection and distance.

Questions nested inside the exchange

What belongs to the pair, and what belongs to the moment?

  1. 01

    Do couples differ consistently in how they coordinate?

  2. 02

    Does conversational context alter that coordination?

  3. 03

    Are warmth and dominance equally stable across situations?

Where stability can live

Couples and conversations are two distinct levels of the same interaction.

LevelDyadic
DataContinuously coded observed conversations
FrameworkInterpersonal circumplex
DimensionsWarmth and dominance