The concepts used derive from the conceptual system of Descriptive Psychology as developed by Peter G. Ossorio. Performance refers to the concrete, observable, and easily consensually validated aspects of behavior.
Significance refers to the meaning of a behavior.
The significance oriented person is one who is normatively sensitive to the meaning of behavioral performances. The performance oriented person is one who is relatively deficient is significance appreciation, and therefore focuses on the concrete and consensually validated aspects of behavior. The implications of these orientations are discussed in terms of a person's ability to participate normatively in authentic love and friendship relations. An authentic relationship is one in which two people are able to negotiate their related statuses, and standards of judgment within a mutually created and shared world. It is hypothesized that individuals who are deficient in significance appreciation will have concomitant deficiencies in the mastery of love and friendship relations.