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Active-Constructive Responding

Communication Research by Gable and colleagues (2004) has shown that sharing positive personal events
with others is associated with increased daily positive affect and wellbeing. This process
Exercise has been referred to as capitalization (Langston, 1994). Capitalization can be understood as
20 min an interpersonal process involving two key elements: (1) the sharer disclosing information
about a positive event to the responder and (2) the reaction (or the perceived reaction) of
Group
the responder.
No
Importantly, the potential benefits of capitalizing on positive events depend on the
reaction of the responder. One can respond to the good events in others’ lives in four
ways, active-constructive, passive-constructive, active-destructive, passive-destructive.

Research shows that only the active-constructive response benefits the responder and the
relationship between the sharer and responder. An active-constructive reaction involves
responding to the positive disclosure with enthusiasm. For instance, when someone shares
that he/she managed to get the raise in salary towards which he/she had been working, an
active-constructive response of the other person could be: “That is awesome! I know how
hard you have been working on that.”

This type of response increases the savoring of positive feelings involved (Reis et al.,
2010). The other three response styles are negatively related to wellbeing (Gable et al.,
2004). In this exercise, participants will experience how the four different response styles
can influence their wellbeing.

Goal

This group exercise introduces clients to the concept of capitalization interactions. A

participant talks about something positive that happened to him/her, and another person
responds to that disclosure. The goal of this exercise is to increase awareness of how one’s
reactions to the good news of others can affect their wellbeing.

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Advice

■ This exercise works great as a practical introduction to the topic of capitalization.

After experiencing the effects of different types of responses, participants can be
introduced to the theoretical underpinnings of capitalization.
■ Participants may worry that their responses will sound phony or scripted when they
are asked to apply the active constructive response style. In practice, however, once
the participants start their exercise, they generally find it easy to do.
■ This exercise may also be used by clients who would like to have more satisfying
relationships, and it may be particularly valuable for couples. As the practitioner, it is
appropriate to help clients distinguish between the four different types of responding.
Most importantly, it is important to have clients practice Active Constructive
Responding so that it becomes part of their everyday conversations.
■ Participants can practice building a more active-constructive responding style at home
by first monitoring their usual style of responding. This can be done by keeping a daily
log of their interpersonal interactions. When they notice that they are not engaging in
an active-constructive style frequently enough, they may write down what they could
have said to make the response active and constructive and then think about how
they could use this style more often in the future.
■ To cultivate a more active-constructive response style, participants may also contact
with whom they failed to communicate in an active-constructive way and apologize
for not being more engaged or positive with them.
■ When using this exercise in an educational context, an enhanced understanding of the
four different styles may be accomplished by asking clients to generate examples of
positive events and possible reactions that would fall into the four different categories.
Preferably, this step is carried out after explaining the research and theory underlying
communication styles.

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References

■ Gable, S. L., Gonzaga, G., & Strachman, A. (2006). Will you be there for me when
things go right? Supportive responses to positive event disclosures. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 904-917.

■ Gable, S. L., & Reis, H. T. (2010). Good news! Capitalizing on positive events in an
interpersonal context. In M. Zanna (ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology,
(42; pp. 195-257). Elsevier Press.

■ Gable, S. L., Reis, H. T., Impett, E., & Asher, E. R. (2004). What do you do when things
go right? The intrapersonal and interpersonal benefits of sharing positive events.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87, 228-245.

■ Langston, C. A. (1994). Capitalizing on and coping with daily-life events: Expressive

responses to positive events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 1112-
1125.

■ Murray, S. L., Holmes, J. G., & Collins, N. L. (2006). Optimizing assurance: The risk
regulation system in relationships. Psychological Bulletin, 132, 641-666.

■ Reis, H. T., & Shaver, P. (1988). Intimacy as an interpersonal process. In S. Duck (Ed.),
Handbook of personal relationships (pp. 367-389). Wiley.

■ Reis, H. T., Smith, S. M., Carmichael, C. L., Caprariello, P. A., Tsai, F. F., Rodrigues, A.,
& Maniaci, M. R. (2010). Are you happy for me? How sharing positive events with
others provides personal and interpersonal benefits. Journal of personality and social
psychology, 99, 311.

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Active-Constructive Responding

Instructions

This exercise introduces participants to the concept of capitalization interactions in which one person talks
about something positive that happened to him or her and another person responds to that disclosure.

Participants will receive different instructions based on the condition and the role to which they are randomly
assigned. Please note that some time is needed for participants to prepare these instructions in advance.

Step 1: Create two groups

Divide participants into two equal groups: interviewers and interviewees. If there is an odd number of
participants, the extra person should be placed in the interviewee group.

Step 2: Hand out instructions to the interviewees

Give each interviewee a copy of the instructions shown in Appendix B.

Step 3: Hand out instructions to the interviewers

In this exercise, the interviewers receive four different types of instructions. These different instructions are
shown in Appendices C, D, E, and F.

Each interviewer will randomly receive one of these four instructions. It is important for the instructor to not
draw any attention to the fact that there are different instructions to ensure that participants are not aware
of this fact. One possible way to do this is to print the different instructions, order them randomly in a pile,
and then hand each interviewer one sheet (Appendix C, D, E, or F).

Step 4: Facilitate group discussion

Ask participants to discuss their experiences with the whole group. First, ask the interviewees to reflect
on how they felt during the conversation and how it was to talk about the positive event. This question
will result in different reactions. Next, inform participants that each interviewer received a different type
of instruction. Interviewers may show their instructions to the interviewee. You may decide to add some
additional time for participants to discuss their experiences in couples.

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Step 5: Discuss the theoretical background

Start with explaining the concept of capitalization. Capitalization refers to sharing positive personal events
with others.

The potential benefits of capitalizing on positive events are dependent on the reaction of the responder.
Explain that research has shown that this reaction has two important dimensions, namely a) active versus
passive and b) constructive versus destructive.

Ad A: An active reaction involves a responder who shows interest and involvement when the event is shared.
In case of a passive reaction, the responder is reserved and subdued in his or her reply.

Ad B: A constructive reaction involves a responder who is positive and supportive when the event is shared.
In contrast, a destructive reaction involves a responder who is negative and unsupportive when the event is
shared. Combined, these two dimensions result in four different response styles: active-constructive, active-
destructive, passive-constructive, and passive-destructive.

Next, provide a concrete example of the four reaction types (see Appendix A) and explain to the group that
research has shown that an active-constructive response is best for the person who is capitalizing on the
positive event in that he/she reports increased wellbeing and increased relationship satisfaction. In this
case, the listener feels understood and supported. When the listener’s response is passive or destructive,
negative emotions are often elicited (Gable et al., 2004; Gable, Gonzaga, & Strachman, 2006). There is a
feeling of being misunderstood and unsupported.

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Appendix A: Overview of four different response styles

Constructive Destructive

Active Positive response, enthusiasm, smiling, The negative response, focusing on the
maintaining eye contact, displaying positive downside, negative non-verbal cues.
emotions.

Example: Example:
“You will become a father? That’s great news! I am “You will become a father? Believe me, you can
sure you will be a great dad!” forget about having any free time for yourself.”

Passive Positive response, happy, but lacking enthusiasm, The negative response, lacking interest, little to
little to no active emotional expression. no eye contact, turning away.

Example: Example:
“You will become a father? That’s nice, man. “You will become a father, huh?” Well, can you
make sure to hand in those files in time?

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Appendix B: Instructions for all interviewees

Please read the following instructions carefully:

In a few minutes, you will be interviewed about something positive that happened to you. It does not matter what
kind of event you choose, how long ago it happened, or how important it was. Just choose something positive that
you feel comfortable discussing. The person interviewing you will ask you to describe the event and then may or
may not ask additional questions.

During the interview, try to notice how you feel while talking about the event and how you feel about the way the
interviewer is responding to your story.

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Appendix C: Active-constructive response instructions

Please ask the person who you are interviewing to describe his or her positive event. Do not show him or
her your instructions.

While the other person is talking, you are going to try to react in a so-called active-constructive way. An
active-constructive response means that you:

■ are highly involved in the exchange

■ react with interest and enthusiasm regarding the event
■ react positively towards the person
■ actively ask questions about the event
■ actively ask questions about the effect of the event
■ make enthusiastic comments, such as “that sounds wonderful” or “you must be (have been) really proud
■ make good eye contact

In sum, your general attitude during the conversation is enthusiastic, excited, and happy. Try to be an active
and supportive interviewer.

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Appendix D: Active-destructive response instructions

Please ask the person who you are interviewing to describe his or her positive event. Do not show him or
her your instructions.

While the other person is talking, you are going to try to react in a so-called active-destructive way. An
active-destructive response means that you:

■ are highly involved in the exchange

■ minimize the importance of the positive event
■ focus on the potential downsides of the positive event
■ actively ask questions about any potential negative aspects regarding the event
■ question the positivity of the event by asking questions such as “what is so ‘good’ about this good
event?”

In sum, try to be an active but investigative interviewer who is trying to make the shared event seem not so
great in the first place.

Note: If you find it difficult to respond in this way, remember that this is just an exercise. This interview is
for demonstration purposes only, and you and your interviewee will be discussing your responses and the
instructions afterward.

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Appendix E: Passive-constructive response instructions

Please ask the person who you are interviewing to describe his or her positive event. Do not show him or
her your instructions.

While the other person is talking, you are going to try to react in a so-called passive-constructive way.
A passive-constructive response means that you:

■ are not very involved in the exchange

■ react positively, but with reserved interest and enthusiasm regarding the event
■ do not ask additional questions about the event
■ do not elaborate on the statements of the other person

In sum, your responses should appear positive or supportive on the surface, but they are reserved and
subtle. Try to be a pleasant but uninvolved interviewer.

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Appendix F: Active-destructive response instructions

Please ask the person who you are interviewing to describe his or her positive event. Do not show him or
her your instructions.

While the other person is talking, you are going to try to react in a so-called passive-destructive way.
A passive-destructive response means that you:

■ are not very involved in the exchange

■ show little or no interest in the positive event
■ do not make much eye contact
■ change the subject completely
■ talk about yourself or something unrelated to the positive event
■ ask mundane questions about everyday life (e.g., “What did you have for breakfast this morning?”)

In sum, try to be a detached and uninterested interviewer.

Note: If you find it difficult to respond in this way, remember that this is just an exercise. This interview is
for demonstration purposes only, and you and your interviewee will be discussing your responses and the
instructions afterward.

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