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Relational Models – Not Models of Relationships: Variations in the Cognitive Representations of Relating in Different Relationships
Unformatted Document Text:  Relational Models 1 Relational Models – Not Models of Relationships: Variations in the Cognitive Representations of Relating in Different Types of Interpersonal Relationships One of the core assumptions shared by interpersonal communication researchers using a cognitive approach is that how relational knowledge is represented in cognition determines interpersonal behavior. In this paper, I suggest that one way relational knowledge is represented in cognition is in the form of relational models, which contain information on how to relate that is the same at different levels of abstraction and for different relationships and that constitutes the basic building blocks of a universal grammar of relationships. Cognitive schemas have been defined as “cognitive structures that represent knowledge about a concept or type of stimulus” (Fiske & Taylor, 1991, p. 98). Baldwin (1992, 1994) defined relationship schemas as consisting of declarative and procedural knowledge that combines representations of self, other, and interpersonal behaviors. That is, in addition to relatively static representations of self and other, relationship schemas also contain knowledge that represents how self and other relate. Based on early theoretical work by Fletcher (1993), Koerner and Fitzpatrick (2002) have proposed that relational schemas exist in cognition on at least three different levels of generality. On the most general level are social or attributional schemas that apply to all interpersonal relationships. Such general social schemas contain knowledge such as attachment models (Bartholomew, 1990), the norm of reciprocity (Roloff, 1987), or knowledge that self-disclosure is a sign of intimacy (Taylor & Altman, 1987). Less general are schemas that exist for specific types of relationships, such as friendships, family relations, or acquaintances. These schemas contain knowledge that applies to all relationships of a specific type. For example, friendship schemas might contain the belief that one can trust the other with personal secrets, and family schemas might contain the belief that one must provide material assistance to family members in need. The least general are relational schemas that

Authors: Koerner, Ascan.
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Relational Models 1
Relational Models – Not Models of Relationships: Variations in the Cognitive Representations
of Relating in Different Types of Interpersonal Relationships
One of the core assumptions shared by interpersonal communication researchers using a
cognitive approach is that how relational knowledge is represented in cognition determines
interpersonal behavior. In this paper, I suggest that one way relational knowledge is represented
in cognition is in the form of relational models, which contain information on how to relate that
is the same at different levels of abstraction and for different relationships and that constitutes
the basic building blocks of a universal grammar of relationships.
Cognitive schemas have been defined as “cognitive structures that represent knowledge
about a concept or type of stimulus” (Fiske & Taylor, 1991, p. 98). Baldwin (1992, 1994)
defined relationship schemas as consisting of declarative and procedural knowledge that
combines representations of self, other, and interpersonal behaviors. That is, in addition to
relatively static representations of self and other, relationship schemas also contain knowledge
that represents how self and other relate. Based on early theoretical work by Fletcher (1993),
Koerner and Fitzpatrick (2002) have proposed that relational schemas exist in cognition on at
least three different levels of generality. On the most general level are social or attributional
schemas that apply to all interpersonal relationships. Such general social schemas contain
knowledge such as attachment models (Bartholomew, 1990), the norm of reciprocity (Roloff,
1987), or knowledge that self-disclosure is a sign of intimacy (Taylor & Altman, 1987). Less
general are schemas that exist for specific types of relationships, such as friendships, family
relations, or acquaintances. These schemas contain knowledge that applies to all relationships of
a specific type. For example, friendship schemas might contain the belief that one can trust the
other with personal secrets, and family schemas might contain the belief that one must provide
material assistance to family members in need. The least general are relational schemas that


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