When I Think of You I Project Myself

Abstract

Across two studies, we examined the correspondence between targets’ idiographic goals and the goals attributed to them by their social contacts. In both studies, targets listed their personal goals while informants specified the goals they believed targets were pursuing. Target and informant ratings of interpersonal closeness were also collected. Furthermore, in Study 2, informants listed the goals that they themselves were currently pursuing. All goals were coded for motive-based (e.g., power) and domain-based (e.g., health) content. Informant and target reports were largely unrelated and relationship closeness did not moderate this association, although self–other agreement was noted in one domain-based category. In Study 2, the content of informants’ other-attributed goals was strongly predicted by the content of their self-attributed goals. Thus, when individuals perceive the goals and motivations of others, they tend to project their own motivational proclivities.