Task Performance and Interpersonal Attraction in Children

Abstract

LEVINE, JOHN M.; SNYDER, HOWARD N.; and MENDEZ-CARATINI, GLORIA. Task Performance and Interpersonal Attraction in Children. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1982, 53, 359-371. 2 studies investigated how performance information affects interpersonal attraction in children. In both experiments children worked on perceptual problems in simulated groups, received feedback about their own and other group members' performance, and then indicated their desire to interact with selected group members in various anticipated situations. Experiment 1 assessed first and second graders' preferences for cooperative work and play partners. This study revealed that children preferred high-performance to low-performance partners for both work and play. Moreover, as predicted, consensus information provided by the performance of other group members affected work-partner but not play-partner preferences. Experiment 2 assessed fourth and fifth graders' co-worker preferences for cooperative, competitive, and individualistic situations. This study revealed a positive relationship between a potential co-worker's performance and attractiveness in the cooperative and individualistic situations and a negative relationship in the competitive situation. Additional data indicated that attraction in cooperative and competitive situations was (a) mediated by the potential co-worker's absolute performance and (b) based on children's desire to maximize the probability of their succeeding on the task.