Abstract
Dyadic research provides an opportunity to understand the interdependent nature of social behavior. However, this type of design presents a unique set of methodological and statistical challenges. The two studies described in this case involve a dyadic approach to understanding how socially anxious people recruit others to accompany them into social situations, a process known as social surrogacy. The advantages and difficulties associated with taking such a dyadic approach, as well as the other challenges my co-author and I encountered while conducting this research (e.g., distinguishing between confirmatory and exploratory aspects of the studies, recruitment, hypothetical vs. naturalistic assessment techniques) are explored and discussed.