Interpersonal phenomenology as a function of sexual orientation, sex, sentiment, and trait categories in long-term dyadic relationships.

Homosexual and heterosexual relationships were studied with the Extended Personal Attributes Questionnaire (EPAQ) as modified by the Interpersonal Perception Method (IPM). Members of 80 dyads were assessed for perceived similarity, validation of partners' self-concept, expectations of being validated, feelings of being understood, expectations of receiving credit for insight, knowledge of being validated or invalidated, knowledge of being understood or misunderstood, and knowledge of being credited with insight. The F+ scale of the EPAQ accounted for greater congruence among IPM perspectives than any of the other EPAQ scales (M+, M-, F-). Positive EPAQ scales (F+ and M+) showed more consistency among interpersonal and intrapersonal perspectives than negative scales. Homosexual partners perceived themselves more similar to each other on the F+ scales than did heterosexual partners. Persons with female partners (lesbians and heterosexual males) had higher expectations and greater accuracy in these expectations than those with male partners. Differences within the interpersonal phenomenology of heterosexual couples found in an earlier study (Alperson & Friedman, 1983) were fully replicated. Treating the M and F scales of the EPAQ as instrumental and expressive traits rather than masculine and feminine sex roles (Spence & Helmreich, 1980) clarifies the interpretation of these results.