Person-Environment Interactions

The P-E Interaction Model

Although many variations of the P-E interaction model exist, all emphasize the relation between two parallel aspects of the person and environment. One aspect concerns the desires of the person and the ability of the environment to fulfill those desires. The person's desires are described by various P-E models as needs, goals, values, interests, and preferences. Although some theoretical differences exist among these constructs, in P-E interaction theory they invariably refer to the attractiveness of the environmental attributes to the person. Hereafter, they are referred to as desires. The properties of the environment that correspond to the desires of the person are operationalized as reinforcers, benefits, satisfiers, and payoffs; henceforth, these are termed supplies.

The other aspect concerns the relation of the person's abilities to the demands of the environment. The relevant abilities are referred to in P-E interaction models as aptitudes, education, experience, skills, intelligence, and g (i.e., general mental ability). The corresponding environmental demands are referred to as environmental climate, workload, ability requirements and task requirements. These are termed abilities and demands, respectively.

Most P-E interaction models quantify the quality of the match between the person's desires and the environmental supplies and use that information to predict some outcome. Terms for the match between individuals and environments are congruence, correspondence, and P-E fit.

P-E fit is thought to produce varied outcomes including (a) reduced stress, strain, anxiety, absenteeism, turnover intentions, and turnover; (b) improved physical health, psychological health, emotional stability, adjustment, goal-setting behavior, coping, adaptation, attitudes toward learning, and vocational choice; and (c) increased creativity, motivation, performance, occupational success, commitment, tenure, satisfaction, and morale.

Although P-E interaction models have been criticized as “static” because they emphasize relatively stable aspects of the person and environment, most depict the development of P-E fit as a dynamic process that evolves over time.

Illustrative P-E Interaction Models

The idea that P-E fit is an important moderator of outcomes is a central theoretical construct in numerous models in vocational, counseling, educational, social, industrial/organizational, and management psychology. All P-E interaction models incorporate the structural components described above. They differ primarily in their focal desire and ability dimensions. P-E models in vocational, social, and leisure psychology illustrate the model's breadth and diversity.