Previous scholars have highlighted the psychological and behavioral consequences of alexithymia, a trait where people are hindered in understanding and communicating emotions. Little has been done, however, in understanding how alexithymia affects the ability of an individual to begin relationships and engage in positive social interactions. Using the theoretical foundation of the Need to Belong, the current study proposed several testable hypotheses predicting a deficit in the ability of alexithymic individuals to emotionally attune to a relational partner during an initial interaction compared to nonalexithymics. Specifically, the hypotheses predicted perceptual, behavioral, and physiological consequences for alexithymics during an initial interaction with a stranger of the opposite sex. Both alexithymic and nonalexithymic individuals conducted a ten-minute interpersonal exercise with a stranger of the opposite sex while being videotaped. Both the participant and the relational partner were then asked to complete measures indicating their attraction to the other person.

Results indicated several perceptual differences. Relational partners were more socially and task attracted to nonalexithymics than alexithymics. The partners perceived higher levels of relational messages of affect, similarity, trust, and composure from nonalexithymics than alexithymics, and lower levels of the relational messages of formality and dominance from nonalexithymics than alexithymics. There were fewer significant behavioral and physiological differences, though alexithymic individuals nodded less than nonalexithymics, and relational partners were less facially expressive to alexithymics than nonalexithymics. Alexithymic individuals also had higher baseline levels of heart rate than nonalexithymics. The author argues several implications and directions for future research from these findings, including the need to include psychological traits into theoretical examinations of communication competence and to develop possible interventions to help alexithymic individuals build relationships.