Interpersonal Perception as a Function of Help-Seeking

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Abstract
This study was designed to test the hypothesis that people have a less favorable attitude toward individuals who seek help from others than toward those who act in a self-reliant manner. Two sets of four narratives were composed in such a way that they differed only as to the sex of the protagonist. Within eact set, the protagonist was faced with one of two different problems (a stalled car or a crying child) which he solved either by himself or by soliciting the help of another person. Dutch and American subjects rated the protagonist of one of the eight narratives on social desirability, general competence, interpersonal competence, psychological adjustment, and physical attractiveness. Among American subjects, protagonists who did not seek help received higher overall ratings. Among the Dutch sample, protagonists received higher ratings for being self-reliant in the stalled car episode, but were rated less highly for not seeking help when dealing with a crying child.

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