Toward a Theory of Goal Detection in Social Interaction: Goal-, Perspective-, and Context-Based Similarities Determine Goal Detection Inaccuracy
(2009)Abstract
Individuals’ detection of others’ goals is an integral part of social interaction, especially when inaccuracy arises. Inaccurate goal detection, for example, can adversely affect goal pursuers’ and detectors’ communication competence. The current paper discusses three sources of goal detection inaccuracy—goal-, perspective-, and context-based determinants. Goal detection inaccuracy can be explained and predicted, knowing when a goal, perspective, or context of a particular social interaction are similar to (and different from) other goals, perspectives, and contexts (respectively). At the grossest level, goal-, perspective-, and context-based similarities impact the extent to which individuals can clearly perceive the linkages (i.e., cognitive associations) between various factors in a social interaction and certain goals. As factor-goal linkages are clearly perceived by a goal detector, the linked goals increase in accessibility, which in turn decreases the goal detection inaccuracy. Three sets of propositions are advanced focusing on how goal-, perspective, and context-based similarities determine goal detection inaccuracy.