THEMES OF AGENCY AND COMMUNION IN SIGNIFICANT AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SCENES

In three studies employing over 350 community adults and college stude nts, participants wrote or told narratives of personally important sce nes in their lives. The autobiographical accounts were coded for theme s of agency and communion, the two general content dimensions in lives and life stories that have been identified by many theorists and rese archers. The four agentic themes of self-mastery, status, achievement/ responsibility, and empowerment were positively associated with Themat ic Apperception Test (TAT) measures of achievement and power motivatio n, self-report scales of dominance and achievement, and personal striv ings concerning being successful and feeling strong. Similarly, the fo ur communal themes of love/friendship, dialogue, care/help, and commun ity were positively associated with intimacy motivation, needs for aff iliation and nurturance, and personal strivings concerned with warm an d close relationships. The results suggest a thematic coherence in per sonality across the arenas of key autobiographical memories, social mo tives, and daily goals.