The evaluative face of a descriptive model: Communion and agency in peabody's tetradic model of trait organization

Abstract

An important strand of research on cognitive trait organization is connected with Peabody's (1967) tetradic model stressing two non-evaluative dimensions: tight-loose and assertive-unassertive. The relationship of this model with the communion/agency model involving two evaluative dimensions is discussed and empirically investigated. It is shown that the models are orthogonally related suggesting four trait categories: agentic tight-loose, communal tight-loose, agentic assertive-unassertive and communal assertive-unassertive. Implications are discussed regarding the interpretation of stereotype contents, the validity of the tetradic and communion/agency models and the development of a functionalist approach of social perception and judgment. Copyright copy; 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.