ABSTRACT
Overview of the Affinity-Seeking Construct According to Schutz's (1966) interpersonal needs theory, we communicate and establish relationships with others to satisfy our most basic human needs for affection, inclusion, and control. To do this we must be willing to expend a great amount of time and effort and, at the same time, utilize a variety of important communication skills. Interpersonal scholars have had a long-standing interest in the variety of ways that individuals establish, maintain, and even terminate their relationships with those around them. The one question that interpersonal scholars seem to keep asking is whether there is a surefire way to increase affect between individuals initially so that they will want to communicate more frequently and eventually establish a relationship. Communication scholars have identified the use of affinity-seeking behaviors as a highly effective means of gaining liking in a variety of contexts.
