| It is proposed that three distinct relational foci of attention exist (self-focus, other-focus, and activity-focus) and that use of these foci vary both between individuals and across situations. I conducted five studies to examine these new constructs. A pilot study was designed to determine whether individuals naturally use the proposed foci when thinking about their relationships. Studies 1 and 1B served to validate a newly created measure of individual differences in focus style. Studies 2 and 3 explored both individual and relational implications of focus style by examining responsiveness to situational cues to focus upon partner or self.;Overall, these studies have shown that people describe their relationships in terms of the self, the other, and relational activities, as opposed to solely the self, as suggested by previous research. Furthermore, focus styles can be measured using a self-report questionnaire and the creation of this scale will allow focus to be assessed more readily in a variety of research settings. Finally, appropriate use of the focus styles is shown to be related to both self-esteem and relational satisfaction, suggesting that this construct may impact both individual and interpersonal well-being. |
