Abstract:

Investigated perspective-taking vs egocentric perceptions of others on the basis of the quality of the relationship between the perceiving person and target person perceived, using R. G. Hass's (1979) "drawing an E on your forehead" procedure, with 84 female and 44 male college students. In Study 1, conflict with the other was an inherent aspect of perceiving the other; higher press led to collapse of perspective-taking. Study 2 attempted to eliminate conflict from the setting; higher press led to enhanced perspective-taking. Study 3 varied felt press to deal with the target person and the extent of conflict; press furthered perspective-taking as long as conflict was absent, but given a strong conflict, press led to disrupted perspective-taking. The statistical interaction, along with the effects of Studies 1-2, confirms a theoretical model concerning the conditions under which others' unique perspectives are or are not acknowledged.