Types of influence goals in personal relationships

This study was designed to address three issues: (1) What types of influence goals do people see as typical in their close relationships? (2) How can these goals best be interpreted empirically and theoretically? (3) How do different types of influence goals correspond to action? Cluster analytic methods were applied to a sample of goals generated by people who were asked to recall their goal in an interpersonal influence event of their own initiation. A six-group solution was retained whose clusters were labeled Give Advice (Lifestyle), Gain Assistance, Share Activity, Change Political Stance, Give Advice (Health), and Change Relationship. These clusters differed significantly on each of nine variables used to validate the cluster solution. In addition, goal types were differentially associated with three aspects of compliance-gaining messages. These results provide some of the foundational material that is prerequisite to the development of theory in the area of interpersonal influence in personal relationships.