Pamela Sadler

I study the forces at play during interpersonal interaction, including a variety of controlled and automatic processes underlying people’s dominance and friendliness behaviors. I am currently exploring how people’s moment-to-moment behaviors become entrained or synchronized to each other over the course of their social interactions. I am also intrigued by the processes contributing the individual differences in hypnotic ability. My research interests in personality and social interaction apply well to clinical circumstances involving psychopathology and therapeutic processes, as well as to everyday interpersonal interactions.

My collaborators and I have developed a joystick method of collecting continuous ratings of people’s friendliness and dominance behavior over time. We have used 3D graphing techniques to show this type of data rotating in real time, which helps to reveal its underlying structure. We have also started investigating stability and change in these patterns (issues of stationarity) using graphing techniques such as windowed cross correlations. From a substantive standpoint, the majority of the hypotheses and setting within which we investigate our research questions stems from the highly generative theoretical standpoint of interpersonal circumplex theory.

I have created a movie and PowerPoint presentation that provides a brief 3D demonstration of interpersonal complementarity during interactions. The demonstration shows the type of data that can be collected using our joystick monitor software using 3D rotations to reveal the data structures. To see this 3D demonstration, please email psadler@wlu.ca.

• Award for outstanding service to the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research as president, newsletter editor, and member of the executive council (June 2010).
• Member of editorial board and Consulting Editor for Journal of Personality Assessment (2010-present).

External Research Grants

• SSHRC Research Grant ($88,013). Interpersonal complementarity and mutual adaptation processes over the course of social interactions (2009-2013).
• SSHRC Research Grant ($113,808). Processes underlying social interaction: Evaluating interpersonal theory and hypotheses about sex differences (2003-2007).

Internal Research Grants

• Wilfrid Laurier University Research Course Release ($7,000). The temporal dynamics during psychotherapy interactions (2011).
• Wilfrid Laurier University Research Course Release ($7,000). The temporal dynamics during interpersonal interactions (2010).
• Wilfrid Laurier University Research Course Release ($7,000). Continuous assessments of interpersonal interactions (2009).
• Wilfrid Laurier University SSHRC 4A Grant ($4,000). Mutual influence processes: A key to effective social interactions (2008-2009).
• Wilfrid Laurier University SSHRC 4A Grant ($4,000). Patterns of variability in interpersonal interactions (2007-2008).
• Wilfrid Laurier University Short Term Grant ($3,000). Continuous measurement of perceptions of interpersonal behaviour using a new computer joystick methodology (2007-2009).

I have volunteer and paid research assistantship opportunities for conscientious and motivated undergraduate and graduate students interested in investigating the forces at play during people’s interpersonal interactions, particularly those underlying people’s dominance and friendliness behaviors. If you seek such an opportunity, please email psadler@wlu.ca with your CV and interests, as well as approximately how much time per week you would like to work in the lab, and when you hope to begin. Volunteers may be considered for paid positions when they become available.

PhD Thesis Supervision

• Nicole Ethier (2006-2010, University of Waterloo). Nicole Ethier (2010). Paralinguistic and nonverbal behaviour in social interactions: A lens model perspective. (Co-supervised with Erik Woody.)
• Greg Gunn (2007). A joystick for the circumplex: A dynamic measurement technique for assessing interpersonal behavior. Supervisor of comprehensive research project.

MA Thesis Supervision

• Kelly McDonald (2011-present). Examining the traits of agreeableness and neuroticism in predicting responses to socially anxious individuals.
• Renee Hunt (2010-present). Examining conflict in romantic relationships with an interpersonal lens.
• Ivana Lizdek (2010-present). Interpersonal complementarity in romantic relationships. (Co-supervised with Erik Woody.)

Interpersonal synchrony and entrainment:

• Thomas, K., Hopwood, C., J., Woody, E., Ethier, N., & Sadler, P. (2014). Momentary assessment of interpersonal process in psychotherapy. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 61(1), 1-14.
• Sadler, P., Ethier, N., & Woody, E. (2011). Interpersonal complementarity. In L. M. Horowitz, & S. N. Strack (Eds.), Handbook of interpersonal psychology: Theory, research, assessment, and therapeutic interventions (pp. 123-142). NY: Wiley.
• Lizdek, I., Sadler, P., Woody, E., Ethier, N., & Malet, G. (2012). Capturing the stream of behavior: A computer-joystick method for coding interpersonal behavior continuously over time. Social Science Computer Review, 30(4), 513-521. doi: 10.1177/0894439312436487.
• Sadler, P., Ethier, N., Gunn, G. R., Duong, D., & Woody, E. (2009). Are we on the same wavelength? Complementarity as shared cyclical patterns within an interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97, 1005-1020.

Individual differences in hypnotic ability:

• Woody, E., & Sadler, P. (2014). A somewhat altered debate: Commentary on the Centrality of the Concept of an Altered State to Definitions of Hypnosis. The Journal of Mind-Body Regulation, 2(2), 112-114.
• Sadler, P., & Woody, E. (2010). Dissociation in hypnosis: Theoretical frameworks and psychotherapeutic implications. In S. J. Lynn, J. W. Rhue, & I. Kirsch (Eds.), Handbook of clinical hypnosis (2nd ed.) (pp. 151-178). Washington, DC: APA.
• Woody, E., & Sadler., P. (2008). Dissociation theories of hypnosis. In M. R. Nash & A. J. Barnier (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Hypnosis (pp. 81-110). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Sadler, P., & Woody, E. (2006). Does the more vivid imagery of high hypnotizables depend on greater cognitive effort? A test of dissociation and social-cognitive theories of hypnosis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 54, 372-391.

Dyadic data analyses and structural equation modeling:

• Sadler, P., Ethier, N. & Woody, E. (2011). Tracing the interpersonal web of psychopathology: Dyadic data analysis methods for clinical researchers. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 2(2), 95-138. doi: 10.5127/jep.010310.
• Locke, K., & Sadler, P. (2007). Self-efficacy, values, and complementarity in dyadic interactions: Integrating interpersonal and social-cognitive theory. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33, 94-109.
• Woody, E., & Sadler, P. (2005). Structural equation models for interchangeable dyads: Being the same makes a difference. Psychological Methods, 10, 139-158.
• Sadler, P., & Woody, E. (2003). Is who you are who you’re talking to? Interpersonal style and complementarity in mixed-sex interactions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 80-96.

Conference Paper Presentations

• Wolf, S. A., Sadler, P., Eys, M., and Kleinert, J. (2012, June, Paper). Team cohesion predicts athletes' precompetitive appraisals - Is this a link between cohesion and emotion? Presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity in Honolulu, HI, USA.
• Sadler, P., Woody, E., Lizdek, I., and Hunt, R. (2012, May, Invited talk). Being on the same wavelength: Evaluating moment-to-moment patterns of interpersonal complementarity. Presented at symposium entitled “Making intensive longitudinal data speak” at the 24th Annual Convention for the Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, Illinois.
• Sadler, P., Woody, E., Thomas, K. M., and Hopwood, C. J. (2012, March, Invited talk). The moment-to-moment dynamics of dominance and affiliation: Stationarity versus change during social interactions. Presented at symposium entitled “Intensive repeated measures assessment of interpersonal behavior” at the Annual Meeting for the Society of Personality Assessment, Chicago, Illinois.
• Sadler, P., Lizdek, I., Hunt, R., and Woody, E. (2011, June, Paper). The across-time dynamics of agency and communion: Do same-sex and opposite-sex dyadic interactions differ? Presented at the 14th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Zurich, Switzerland.
• Sadler, P., Woody, E., Lizdek, I., and Hunt, R. (2011, July, Paper). Interaction under the microscope: New methods for capturing dyadic interdependence. Presented at the 42nd International Meeting for the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Bern, Switzerland.
• Sadler, P., Ethier, N., Lizdek, I., and Woody, E. (2010, June, Paper). Are the IPC “Big Two” big enough? Projecting interpersonal behavior into the three-dimensional space defined by extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Presented at the 13th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Sadler, P., Woody, E., Ethier, N., and Gunn, G. (2010, January, Invited Talk). Are we on the same wavelength? Numerical and graphical characterization of rhythmic patterns of moment-to-moment complementarity in interacting dyads. Presented at symposium entitled Interpersonal complementarity” at 11th Annual Meeting for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2008, May, Paper). Are we on the same wavelength? Complementarity as shared cyclical patterns within an interaction. Presented at the 11th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Tempe, Arizona.
• Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2007, June, Paper). A joystick for the circumplex: Pilot studies and new horizons. Presented at the 10th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Madison, Wisconsin.
• Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2007, January, Invited Talk). Studying the effects of personality and partner influence: A model of mutual influence. Presented at symposium entitled “Using Structural Equation Modeling to Study Interpersonal Phenomena” at the 8th Annual Meeting for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Memphis, Tennessee.
• Sadler, P. and Woody, E. (2006, June, Invited Talk). Distinguishability, interchangeability, and models of interdependence in the evaluation of developmental hypotheses. Presented at the Interdependent Developmental Data Conference, Lawrence, Kansas.
• Sadler, P. (2006, May, Invited Colloquium). Statistical models for investigating the interplay of traits and mutual influence in interactions. Presented at the Summer Programme in Data Analysis (SPIDA) Conference at York University, Toronto, Ontario.
• Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2006, May, Paper). The interplay of traits and mutual influence in interpersonal behavior: Statistical models and research questions. Presented at the 9th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2005, June, Paper). Analysis of the process of complementarity using SEM-based dyadic models. Presented at the 8th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Montréal, Québéc.
• Locke, K., and Sadler, P. (2005, June, Paper). Interpersonal motives and interpersonal conflicts. Presented at the 8th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Montréal, Québéc.
• Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2004, May, Paper). The dynamics of same sex interactions: An application of structural equation modeling to interchangeable pairs. Presented at the 7th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Toronto, Ontario.
• Sadler, P., Ethier, N., & Woody, E. (2004, August, Paper). Mixed messages in social interaction: Implicit versus explicit traits of dominance and friendliness. Presented at the 28th Annual Meeting for the International Congress in Psychology, Beijing, China.
• Sadler, P. (2003, May, Invited Talk). Studying real people with phantom variables: Using structural equation modeling to test interpersonal theory. Invited “Hot Topic” talk presented at the 15th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Society, Atlanta Georgia.
• Sadler, P. and Woody, E. (2003, May, Paper). How can statistical models of interdependence be used to answer questions related to interpersonal theory? Presented at the 6th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Vancouver, British Columbia.
• Woody, E. and Sadler, P. (2000, July, Invited Talk). Measuring and understanding individual differences in response to hypnotic suggestion. Presented at an invited symposium, “Hypnosis: Investigation and Explanation in Contemporary Psychology,” at the 27th International Congress of Psychology, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Sadler, P. and Woody, E. (2003, August, Paper). The role of cognitive effort in hypnotic imagery. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ontario.
• Sadler, P., and Woody, E. Z. (1997, November, Paper). Hypnosis, imagery, and cognitive effort. Presented at the 48th annual meeting of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Washington, DC.
• Woody, E. Z., and Sadler, P. (1997, November, Paper). Effects of hypnotic susceptibility and visualization on source memory. Presented at the 48th annual meeting of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Washington, DC.

Conference Poster Presentations

• Lizdek, I., Woody, E., Sadler, P., and Rehman, U. (2012, May, Poster). Effects of depression on the dynamics of interpersonal complementarity. Presented at the 15th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Montreal, Quebec.
• Hunt, R., Sadler, P., and Zuroff, D. C. (2012, May, Poster). Is romantic conflict a process of complementarity or accommodation? Presented at the 15th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Montreal, Quebec.
• Ethier, N., Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2009, May, Poster). The good, the bad, and the unwily: Constructing a balanced measure of interpersonal adjectives. Presented at the 12th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Toronto, Ontario. Received Honorable Mention for Jerry S. Wiggins Student Award for Outstanding Interpersonal Research.
• Ethier, N., Bryntwick, E., Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2008, June, Poster). Beyond words: How does tone of voice convey interpersonal styles? Presented at the 69th Annual Meeting for the Canadian Psychological Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• Ethier, N., Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2008, May, Poster). How do vocal cues express controlled and automatic interpersonal traits? Presented at the 11th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Tempe, Arizona.
• Hodara, O., and Sadler, P. (2008, February, Poster). Individual differences in perceived interpersonal complementarity during a 21-day event-contingent study. Presented at the 9th Annual Meeting for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• Hoessler, C., Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2007, June, Poster). Journeys in the third dimension: What does ipsatization remove from the SBI? Presented at the 10th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Madison, Wisconsin.
• Hodara, O., and Sadler, P. (2007, June, Poster). Narrowed interpersonal worlds: Gender differences in affiliation-focus and dominance-focus. Presented at the 10th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Madison, Wisconsin.
• Ethier, N., Bryntwick, E., Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2007, June, Poster). The manner is the message: The role of tone of voice in social interaction. Presented at the 10th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Madison, Wisconsin.
• Greco, A., and Sadler, P. (2007, June, Poster). Individual differences in dominance and friendliness variability with different partners: Two measurement approaches. Presented at the 68th Annual Meeting for the Canadian Psychological Association, Ottawa, Ontario.
• Ethier, N., Woody, E., and Sadler, P. (2007, June, Poster). The good, the bad, and the unwily: Effects of social desirability in interpersonal adjective scales. Presented at the 68th Annual Meeting for the Canadian Psychological Association, Ottawa, Ontario.
• Ethier, N., Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2006, May, Poster). Dominance and friendliness as implicit constructs: An SEM analysis of IAT measures. Presented at the 9th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Sadler, P., Ethier, N., and Woody, E. (2006, January, Poster). Implicit dominance and implicit friendliness: Investigating the underlying structure and psychometric properties of IAT measures. Presented at the 7th Annual Meeting for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Palm Springs, California.
• Hodara, H., and Sadler, P. (2006, January, Poster). Do you see what I see? Variation in individuals’ perceptions of interpersonal descriptors. Presented at the 7th Annual Meeting for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Palm Springs, California.
• Ethier, N., Woody, E., and Sadler, P. (2005, June, Poster). The unfriendly side of the circumplex: What's left when we take away what's bad? Presented at the 8th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Montréal, Québéc.
• Rousell, G., and Sadler, P. (2005, June, Poster). Does mood affect what we see in others? The impact of dysphoria on the assessment of social behaviour. Presented at the 8th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Montréal, Québéc.
• Ethier, N., Sadler, P., and Woody, E. (2005, June, Poster). Implicit dominance and friendliness: New constructs for interpersonal theory? Presented at the 66th Annual Meeting for the Canadian Psychological Association, Montréal, Québéc.
• Duong, D., Raja, J., and Sadler, P. (2005, January, Poster). Accuracy of moment-to-moment perceptions of social behaviour and its relation to interpersonal problems. Presented at the 6th Annual Meeting for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Ethier, N., and Sadler, P. (2004, May, Poster). Are there implicit interpersonal styles? Differentiating implicit vs. explicit traits of dominance and friendliness. Presented at the 7th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Toronto, Ontario.
• Duong, D., Raja, J., and Sadler, P. (2004, May, Poster). Accuracy of moment-to-moment perceptions of social behaviour and its relation to interpersonal problems. Presented at the 7th Annual Meeting for the Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research, Toronto, Ontario.
• Sadler, P., and Woody, E. Z. (1996, November, Poster). Effects of hypnosis and hypnotizability on reversible figures. Presented at the 47th annual meeting of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Tampa, Florida.

Additional Invited Colloquia

• Sadler, P. (2010, September, Invited Colloquium). Entwined interpersonal styles: How people change each other when they interact. Presented to the University of Zurich Department of Psychology, Zurich, Switzerland.
• Sadler, P. (2007, March, Invited Colloquium). A walk around the circumplex: Studying dyadic processes using interpersonal theory. Presented to the University of Toronto Social Personality and Abnormal Psychology Research Group, Toronto, Ontario.