This paper reports a new method for identifying a set of constructs which can be applied to intra‐family relationships by members of different families. Two written versions of a story about an imaginary family were prepared in which relationship‐describing words were missing. Missing words were supplied by 54 subjects with each version. Ten positive and 10 negative constructs were used sufficiently frequently to be considered meaningful to members of different families. The missing words technique may also aid the elicitation of constructs for individual gr