. We investigate a simple form of parametricity, based on adding "abstract" copies of pre-existing types. Connections are made with the Reynolds-Ma theory of parametricity by logical relations, with the theory of parametricity via dinaturality, and with the categorical notion of equivalence. Introduction In his fundamental paper on the notion of parametricity in connection with type theories [Rey83], John Reynolds links the notion of parametricity firmly to the notion of data abstraction. This, unlike Strachey's earlier characterization via algorithm re-use, is a need-driven analysis. We need things to be parametric because otherwise our data abstractions will no longer be abstract. In his subsequent paper with Ma [MR91], two further points are made. One is that the problems reside more at the level of parametrized types than at the level of the quantified polymorphic types, and the other is that the notion of parametricity is not absolute, but relative. The Ma-Reynolds work produces ...