Imagined interactions are a type of social cognition

Cognition

In science, cognition refers to mental processes. These processes include attention, remembering, producing and understanding language, solving problems, and making decisions. Cognition is studied in various disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and computer science...

 and mental imagery grounded in symbolic interactionism in which individuals imagine conversations with significant others for a variety of purposes. The II construct has provided a beneficial mechanism for operationalizing the study of intrapersonal communication. IIs are a type of daydream

Daydream

A daydream is a visionary fantasy, especially one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions, imagined as coming to pass, and experienced while awake. There are many types of daydreams, and there is no consistent definition amongst psychologists. The general public also uses the term for a...

ing that have definitive characteristics and serve a number of functions including rehearsal, self-understanding, relational maintenance, managing conflict, catharsis

Catharsis

Catharsis or katharsis is a Greek word meaning "cleansing" or "purging". It is derived from the verb καθαίρειν, kathairein, "to purify, purge," and it is related to the adjective καθαρός, katharos, "pure or clean."-Dramatic uses:...

, and compensation. For example, the conflict management functions explains how deep conflict is difficult to manage in everyday life such that it is hard to "forgive and forget" (Honeycutt

James M. Honeycutt

James M. Honeycutt is a Professor of Communication Studies at the Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, internationally known for his work in relationship scripts and daydreaming, particularly imagined interaction conflict-linkage theory which explains why it is hard to forget old arguments...

 & Ford, 2001). Furthermore, imagined interactions can be used in sports imagery as athletes "imagine" positive outcomes of their executions on specific plays or formations.

Theoretical foundation of imagined interactions

Honeycutt (2003; 2010) defines IIs as a process of social cognition through which individuals imagine themselves in anticipated or recalled interaction with others. Honeycutt and his colleagues (1989) proposed that IIs are actually an extended form of intrapersonal communication, which allows one to talk to oneself and imagine talking to others as well. In the early proposal, IIs were suggested as a means to operationalize the study of mental imagery and daydreaming as it works to shape communication interpersonally.

Honeycutt et al. (1989) discuss how IIs have their theoretical foundation in the work of symbolic interactionists and phenemonologists, including Mead (1934), Dewey (1922) and Schutz (1962). As individuals engage in imagined interactions, scripts are activated as people imagine how they might react in an upcoming conversation. Imagined interactions help people prepare for encounters. They also help people to relive previous conversations and foster good or bad memories.

Functions of imagined interactions

Imagined interactions function in the following ways: (1) they keep a relationship alive; (2) they maintain conflict as well as resolving it; (3) they are used to rehearse messages for future interaction; (4) they aid people in self-understanding through clarifying thoughts and feelings; (5) they provide emotional catharsis by relieving tension; and (6) they compensate for lack of real interaction (Honeycutt, 2003; 2008).

The second function of conflict linkage has received a great deal of research attention as it explains how individuals often remember arguments that are many years old and it is difficult for them to "let go." As a result, they harbor old grudges. A series of three axioms (e.g., "The communication is the relationship") and nine theorems are discussed explaining how daily conflict is managed or destructively dealt with (see Honeycutt, 2004 for a review). The table below contains an outline of the axioms behind managing conflict in personal relationships and resulting theorems have been empirically tested in social scientific studies.

Axioms of II Conflict-Linkage Theory

1. Interpersonal relationships exist through intrapersonal communication as imagined interactions involving the relational partner outside of actual interaction.
2. An interpersonal relationship is maintained and developed through thinking and dwelling on a relational partner.
3. A major theme of interpersonal relationships is conflict management (e.g., cooperation-competition). Managing conflict begins at the intrapersonal level of communication in terms of IIs.

Theorems of Conflict

1. Recurring conflict is maintained through retro and proactive IIs.
2. The current mood of individuals is associated with whether or not their IIs are positive or negative. The better a person's mood, the more positive their IIs will be as well as the inverse.
3. When an individual attempts to purposely create positive IIs (e.g., as therapy for a poor marriage), negative intrusive IIs will frequently occur, in many cases with effects that undermine the therapy or positive intent.
4. Suppressed rage is a result of the lack of opportunity or inability to articulate arguments with the target of conflict.
5. Thinking about conflict may be facilitated through exposure to contextual cues including music, substance abuse, and media (TV shows and movies).
6. Recurring conflict is a function of brain, neurotransmitter activity in which neurons are stimulated.
7. In order to enhance constructive conflict, individuals need to imagine positive interactions and outcomes.
8. Conflict-linkage has the potential of distorting reality because conflict is kept alive in a person's mind and facilitates anticipating a conversation that most likely will be discrepant from reality since the actual interaction will not occur as planned.
9. People use IIs as a mechanism for escape from societal norms. For example, a person may be expected to talk a certain way with their boss in real life, but in their IIs, the persons can be considerably more bold or liberated.

Citations

• Dewey, J. (1922). Human nature and conduct: An introduction to social psychology. New York: Henry Holt.
• Honeycutt, J.M.
  James M. Honeycutt
  James M. Honeycutt is a Professor of Communication Studies at the Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, internationally known for his work in relationship scripts and daydreaming, particularly imagined interaction conflict-linkage theory which explains why it is hard to forget old arguments...
  
   (2003). Imagined interactions: Daydreaming about communication. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
• Honeycutt, J.M.
  James M. Honeycutt
  James M. Honeycutt is a Professor of Communication Studies at the Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, internationally known for his work in relationship scripts and daydreaming, particularly imagined interaction conflict-linkage theory which explains why it is hard to forget old arguments...
  
   (2008). Imagined Interaction Theory: Mental Representations of Interpersonal Communication. In L.A. Baxter & D. Braithwaite (Eds.). Engaging Theories in Interpersonal Communication (pp. 77-87). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Honeycutt, J.M.
  James M. Honeycutt
  James M. Honeycutt is a Professor of Communication Studies at the Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, internationally known for his work in relationship scripts and daydreaming, particularly imagined interaction conflict-linkage theory which explains why it is hard to forget old arguments...
  
   (2010). Imagine that: Studies in imagined interaction.Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
• Honeycutt, J.M.
  James M. Honeycutt
  James M. Honeycutt is a Professor of Communication Studies at the Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, internationally known for his work in relationship scripts and daydreaming, particularly imagined interaction conflict-linkage theory which explains why it is hard to forget old arguments...
  
   (2004). Imagined interaction conflict-linkage theory: Explaining the persistence and resolution of interpersonal conflict in everyday life. Imagination, Cognition, and Personality, 23, 3-25.
• Honeycutt, J.M.
  James M. Honeycutt
  James M. Honeycutt is a Professor of Communication Studies at the Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, internationally known for his work in relationship scripts and daydreaming, particularly imagined interaction conflict-linkage theory which explains why it is hard to forget old arguments...
  
  , Edwards, R., & Zagacki, K.S. (1989-1990). Using imagined interaction features to predict measures of self-awareness: Loneliness, locus of control, self-dominance, and emotional intensity. Imagination, Cognition, and Personality, 9, p. 17-31.
• Honeycutt, J.M.
  James M. Honeycutt
  James M. Honeycutt is a Professor of Communication Studies at the Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, internationally known for his work in relationship scripts and daydreaming, particularly imagined interaction conflict-linkage theory which explains why it is hard to forget old arguments...
  
  , & Ford, S.G. (2001). Mental imagery and intrapersonal communication: A review of research on imagined interactions (IIs) and current developments. Communication yearbook 25 (pp. 315-345). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
• Mead, G.H. (1934). Mind, self and society. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Schutz, A. (1962). Choosing among projects of action. In M. Natanson (Ed.), Collected Papers, Volume I: The Problem of Social Reality (pp. 67-96). The Hague, Netherlands: