Sole Proprietors’ Interpersonal Communication Styles and Well-Being: Manipulation Tactics, Psychological Reactance, and Life Satisfaction

This study examined the interpersonal communication styles of sole proprietors and analyzed their relationship to well-being in comparison with individuals working in corporate organizations. A total of 350 adults responded to the following questionnaires: a scale of manipulation tactics used in daily life, the Psychological Reactance Scale, and the Life Satisfaction Scale. ANOVA indicated that sole proprietors used less “coercive manipulation” than supervisors, section chiefs, or department heads. ANOVA also revealed that both sole proprietors and department heads exhibited more “claims for freedom” than regular employees. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the use of “deceptive manipulation” was associated positively with the life satisfaction of organizational managers, whereas the use of “frank manipulation” was associated positively with the life satisfaction of sole proprietors. This study also found that “frank manipulation” is desirable in work environments.