Interpersonal complementarity and gender [Elektronisk resurs] Contextual influences on perception of personality

• Contextual influences have long been recognized as an important factor explaining individual differences in perception of personality traits. In this study we investigated whether interpersonal complementarity creates a context for the perception of personality traits, and whether gender stereotypes play a role in the process. Participants were 205 students taking a personality psychology course. They evaluated personality traits in the context of observing an interpersonal exchange that reflected complementarity. Among the respondents, 103 made the evaluation based on a gender stereotypical exchange (dominant male-submissive female) and 102 based their evaluation on a gender counterstereotypical exchange (dominant female-submissive male). Results reveal that interpersonal context had a stronger influence on ratings of conscientiousness, openness, and emotional stability traits than it did on extraversion and agreeableness trait ratings. Furthermore, openness and conscientiousness were particularly susceptible to gender-based stereotypes in the context of interpersonal complementarity. These results suggest that both interpersonal complementarity and gender stereotypes influence the perception of personality traits, but that they do so in a way that is unique to each trait. 

Ämnesord

Social Sciences  (hsv)

Sociology  (hsv)

Social Psychology  (hsv)

Samhällsvetenskap  (hsv)

Sociologi  (hsv)

Socialpsykologi  (hsv)

Social Sciences  (hsv)

Psychology  (hsv)

Psychology (excluding Applied Psychology)  (hsv)

Samhällsvetenskap  (hsv)

Psykologi  (hsv)

Psykologi (exklusive tillämpad psykologi)  (hsv)

Genre

government publication  (marcgt)

Indexterm och SAB-rubrik

Big Five personality traits

Gender stereotypes

Interpersonal complementarity

Interpersonal exchange

Perception of personality traits

Social roles