Asymmetric relations in positive and negative evaluations of acquaintances

Abstract

Abstract In a repertory grid experiment, following a suggestion by Rapoport (1990), I varied the number of acquaintances (N) evaluated by each of 108 subjects from 1 to 9, and for every value of N, the number of acquaintances with positive descriptions (e.g., “the most ethical person you know”) (n) ranged across all possible values from 0 to N. Conversely, each subject evaluated N - n acquaintances with negative descriptions (e.g., “the person with whom you feel least comfortable”). A standard set of 12 bipolar constructs (e.g., generous-stingy) was provided to half of the subjects, whereas 12 personal constructs were elicited individually from the other half. The overall relative frequency of positive judgments of others was approximately 0.636 for both elicited and provided constructs. When subjects applied the negative pole of a construct to themselves, they also applied it, on average, to about half of their acquaintances. These results are consistent with several earlier findings and with some relevant theoretical implications of Lefebvrés (1992a) theory of bipolarity and reflexivity.