The Interpersonal Perspective
Personality is best conceptualized as the social product of interactions with significant others
- Few needs, goals, wishes, or potentials pertain to a nonsocial world

Even when we are alone, we interact with others
• Reflections when trying to sleep
• Realizations when in the shower
-We do not dream of doorknobs or hamsters

We are always interacting with real or imagined others and their expectations

Personality cannot be understood from the insideout
• Intrinsically immersed in an interpersonal context
• Personality develops in the context of interpersonal relationships