Social absorption and social individuation: Dutch validation

• Published in: Netherlands journal of psychology Vol. 65; no. 2; pp. 40 - 52
• Main Authors: de Schutter, Steve, van Geel, Rolf, Lodewijkx, Hein, Verboon, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Houten Bohn Stafleu van Loghum 01.06.2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavioral psychology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Personal relationships; Social psychology; autonomy; sociotropy; intersubjectivity; attachment; social absorption; interpersonal circumplex; social individuation
• ISSN: 1872-552X; 1876-8768
• DOI: 10.1007/BF03080126

Social absorption (SA) and social individuation (SI) are two dimensions that may help understand and predict the quality of interpersonal experiences and relationships (Ickes, Hutchison, & Mashek, 2004). A Dutch translation of the SA and SI scales was validated with a circumplex of interpersonal adjective scales, vulnerability factors to depression and attachment style dimensions among a sample of 429 Flemish and Dutch Open University students. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that SA consisted of two subfactors; SI was shortened for reliability reasons. Subsequent correlational analyses revealed that both SA subfactors correlated positively with warm and assertive interpersonal behaviours, secure attachment style and sociotropy. The shortened SI factor correlated positively with cold and aloof interpersonal behaviours, autonomy and fearful and dismissive attachment. A graphical projection of scales in the interpersonal circumplex further informs the reader about behavioural commonalities between all the variables.( Netherlands Journal of Psychology 65, 40-52.)