Life History and Personality Correlates of Dominant-Submissive Behavior

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The purpose was to investigate family background and personality variables related to dominance-submissive behavior. 80 males and females interacted in a decision-making task, first with a partner of the same sex, then with a partner of the opposite sex. Ss were classified into one of 4 cells: dominant with both sexes (DD); dominant with same sex, submissive with opposite sex (DS); submissive with same sex, dominant with opposite sex (SD); submissive with both sexes (SS). Analyses of differences in responding to family background and personality inventories indicated that consistency in males was related to a highly structured family background, but consistency in females was related to a permissive family. Consistently submissive females reported much personal discomfort while submissive males did not. For both sexes those who were submissive to females scored highest on a neuroticism scale.