The power of the glance: Desire to see and be seen in cooperative and competitive situations

Heider (1958) has suggested that perception aides control and power over that which is perceived. Individuals' belief in this assumption was tested in an interpersonal situation. Subjects were given the expectation that they would be either cooperating or competing with another person in a game. Half of the subjects were lead to believe they would be interviewing their partner or opponent before the game, and half expected to be interviewed. Subjects who expected to interview the other could choose whether or not to see the other person through a one-way mirror. Subjects who expected to be interviewed could choose whether or not they wanted to be seen by the other. As predicted, the tendency to choose to allow perception was strong in all conditions except the condition in which subjects expected to compete with the other and might be seen by him.