A considerable amount of research and theorizing has been based on Bakan's (1966) concepts of agency and communion. While Bakan's original work and that of many other writers has implied that they work in opposition to each other, Wiggins (1991) and others have identified them as separate dimensions, with the note that they may interact with one another in certain social contexts. This paper argues that, since both agency and communion are important elements of the human psyche, there are strong theoretical, empirical and social reasons for exploring the conditions under which a mutually enhancing relationship exists or may be fostered. The argument draws on the field of group processes and Putnam's (1993) concept of social capital.
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