FORMS OF ADDRESS AND SOCIAL RELATIONS IN A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION

87 EMPLOYEES (MEAN AGE = 42.7 YR.) AT 4 ORGANIZATIONAL LEVELS OF AN INSURANCE FIRM WERE INTERVIEWED TO DETERMINE THE USE OF 1ST NAME (FN) AND TITLE AND LAST NAME (TLN) IN COMMUNICATING WITH SUPERIORS, FELLOW WORKERS, AND SUBORDINATES. USAGE OF ADDRESS TERMS REVEALED ASPECTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: FN WAS USED BETWEEN EQUALS AND IN ADDRESSING SUBORDINATES; UNEQUAL STATUS WAS OFTEN REFLECTED IN A NONRECIPROCAL ADDRESS PATTERN IN WHICH THE SUPERIOR RECEIVED TLN AND THE SUBORDINATE FN. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH PREVIOUS FINDINGS THAT THE ADDRESS TERM EXCHANGED BETWEEN EQUALS AND INTIMATES IS THE SAME ONE DIRECTED TOWARDS INFERIORS. AGE AND TIME IN FIRM WERE NOT RELATED TO REPORTED ADDRESS PATTERNS; NOR WERE MEASURES OF STATUS MOTIVATION AND SELF-ASSURANCE. INFORMANTS REPORTED THE GREATEST WILLINGNESS TO MAKE SELF-DISCLOSURES TO FELLOW WORKERS, AND GREATER SELF-DISCLOSURE TO IMMEDIATE SUPERIORS THAN TO IMMEDIATE SUBORDINATES-EVEN IF THE SUPERIOR WERE ADDRESSED BY TLN. IT IS PROPOSED THAT CONFIDING IN ONE'S BOSS REFLECTS AN ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH INTIMACY WITH HIM. THIS IS INTERPRETED AS A MODIFICATION OF R. BROWN AND M. FORD'S (SEE 36:4) SUGGESTION THAT THE INDIVIDUAL OF HIGHER STATUS MUST INITIATE ALL STEPS TOWARDS INCREASED INTIMACY.