Motivation in Person Perception: Role of the Other's Perspective

In previous studies (G. Steins & R. A. Wicklund, 1993, 1996, 1997; R. A. Wicklund & G. Steins, 1996), perspective-taking depended on the interplay between 2 variables--(a) press (the relationship intensity between perceiver and perceived person) and (b) conflict. In the absence of conflict, perspective-taking was positively related to press; in the presence of conflict, perspective-taking was negatively related to press. In the present 3 studies, involving samples of German students, the author conducted a detailed exploration of the motivational impact of press on perspective-taking: In the 1st study, she measured press via the participant's wish to deal with the other person; in the 2nd study, via the perceiver's preoccupation with the target; and in the 3rd study, she defined press as a general tendency of some participants to become absorbed in other individuals. All 3 studies included elements of conflict. The results further supported the perspective-taking model and improved the understanding of the influence of motivation in person perception.