Effect of Partner's Effort and Ability on Liking for Partner After Failure on a Cooperative Task

Summary

Fifty-two Canadian undergraduates participated in a cooperative task in which a confederate (C) (posing as an S) demonstrated high or low ability and high or low effort. All Ss failed on the task because of the low performance of the C. The results indicate that when future contact in work or social settings was assumed, high-effort partners were better liked than low-effort partners. On a simple rating of liking, within the low-ability conditions the low-effort partner was liked better than was the high-effort partner, while the reverse was true in the high-ability conditions. This interaction effect was also found on a behavior measure of willingness to give up one's own rewards to increase the rewards of the partner.