Fifty mothers and 50 voluntarily childless wives selected from an adjective checklist the personality traits most typical of parents and intentionally childless persons. Both groups of women described parents as "concerned." "loving." "hard-working," "conventional." and "patient," while voluntarily childless wives were more likely to choose the traits "conventional" and "restricted." Voluntarily childless persons were described by a strikingly different set of attributes. They were perceived as "nonconforming," "self-fulfilled" "materialistic," "intelligent," and "individualistic." Voluntarily childless wives in describing the childless chose more often than mothers traits like "intelligent," "individualistic," "practical," and "well-adjusted." and cited less often than mothers the attributes "materialistic" and "ambitious." On the other hand, analysis of the positive and negative comments made about childless persons revealed that the intentionally childless were regarded as selfish, unusual persons, more likely to be pitied than applauded for their alternative social reality.