Polarization of Interpersonal Attraction: The Effect of Perceived Potency

Support for the hypothesis that the effect of opinion congruence on interpersonal attraction is greater when perceived potency is higher was found in 2 experiments using different ways of varying perceived potency and different ways of varying opinion congruence. In the first experiment, being perceived as assertive resulted in less attraction than being perceived as unassertive when the other was seen as disagreeing, and tended to result in more attraction when the other was seen as like-minded. In the second experiment, being perceived as highly competent resulted in less attraction than being perceived as less competent when the other was seen as disagreeing, and tended to result in more attraction when no-opinion information was given.