Receiving Help,Reciprocation, and Interpersonal Attraction1

In a 3 × 3 factorial experiment with 3 additional cells, 329 male or female subjects working with two same-sex confederates (A and B), received either voluntary, involuntary, or no help from A after which attraction to A and B were measured for one-fourth of the subjects. The remaining subjects were assigned to a second set of tasks and were induced to help A, help B, or were not given an opportunity to help, after which they completed attraction and mood measures. Subjects were more likely to volunteer help after the second task when they had received prior help. Receipt of help led to more liking for the helper and the helper was liked more when subjects were able to reciprocate. Attraction and mood results are discussed in relation to attractiveness mediation, modeling, and indebtedness explanations for reciprocity.