Functional Interdependence Theory: An Evolutionary Account of Social Situations

Social interactions are characterized by distinct forms of interdependence, each of which has unique effects on how behavior
unfolds within the interaction. Despite this, little is known about the psychological mechanisms that allow people to detect and
respond to the nature of interdependence in any given interaction. We propose that interdependence theory provides clues
regarding the structure of interdependence in the human ancestral past. In turn, evolutionary psychology offers a framework
for understanding the types of information processing mechanisms that could have been shaped under these recurring
conditions. We synthesize and extend these two perspectives to introduce a new theory: functional interdependence theory
(FIT). FIT can generate testable hypotheses about the function and structure of the psychological mechanisms for inferring
interdependence. This new perspective offers insight into how people initiate and maintain cooperative relationships, select
social partners and allies, and identify opportunities to signal social motives.