Importance of locus of help initiation and type of outcome as determinants of reactions to another's help attempt

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Martin S. Greenberg
Leonard Saxe
Cite this article:  Greenberg, M., & Saxe, L. (1975). Importance of locus of help initiation and type of outcome as determinants of reactions to another's help attempt. Social Behavior and Personality: An international journal, 3(2), 101-110.


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In the present study we examined the effect on a recipient of another’s effort to provide help. Two variables, locus of responsibility for initiating a help attempt (requested, offered, and imposed) and type of outcome resulting from the help attempt (successful and not costly, and unsuccessful and costly for the help-giver), were manipulated in a 3 × 2 factorial design. Participants were asked to place themselves in the role of a hypothetical student who was confronted with a particular situation and to answer a series of questions regarding their reactions to that situation. Results indicated that the requested help condition yielded the strongest obligation to help other as well as the greatest liking for other. With regard to type of outcome, successful help produced greater obligation to help other and greater liking for other. Successful help also resulted in a greater willingness to assist other when the locus of help initiation was either offered or imposed. However, when the locus of help initiation was internal (i.e., requested), success of the outcome had no effect on willingness to assist other.

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