Structural representations of person perception A comparison between own and provided constructs

Abstract.— The dimensions of perceiving other people were compared from two types of data, one representing a person's individual constructs and indexed by two different rating methods (Reptest technique and Similarity Ratings), the other constructs provided by the experimenter, also measured by two methods (Semantic Differential and Personality Differential). Thirty-one female psychology students, rated fifteen role figures by using the four methods. Indices of factorial and cluster similarity of roles showed that the different rating methods yielded highly similar role structures. Each congruent factor and cluster could also be characterized by identical trait properties, but there were also important differences between the methods. Especially family roles formed factors and clusters that were not similar in the four sets of data. The results are discussed within the context of Kelly's personal construct theory.