Interpersonal complementarity and gender: 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 traits, and gender stereotypes play role process. Participants were 205 students taking psychology course. They evaluated traits observing exchange that reflected complementarity. Among respondents, 103 made evaluation based on stereotypical (dominant male–submissive female) 102 their counterstereotypical female–submissive male). Results reveal had stronger influence ratings conscientiousness, openness, emotional stability than it did extraversion agreeableness trait ratings. Furthermore, openness conscientiousness particularly susceptible to gender-based These results suggest both but they do so way is unique each trait.