The imprint of psychological differentiation on kinetic behavior in varying communicative contexts.

Kinetic behavior was evaluated by a scoring system of objectand body-focused hand movements and observed in 24 female college students, 12 field independent (F-I) and 12 field dependent (F-D). The 5s were observed under three videotaped interview conditions: cold association, warm association, and warm interchange. Gestural behavior distinguished F-I and F-D groups within each of the three conditions: during cold association, F-D 5s engaged in more hand-to-hand body-focused movements (p < .05); during warm association, F-D -5s again had more such movements (p < .005); and during warm interchange, they had more objectfocused motor-primacy gestures (p < .025). Certain nonhand-to-hand bodyfocused movements were unrelated to psychological differentiation, yet were induced by negative interpersonal contact (cold condition). Certain forms of kinetic behavior are governed by cognitive style; others may reflect the unverbalized experiences of the relationship.