Attraction and evaluation as a function of the ingratiating style of a person

The major objective of this paper was to examine the way people evaluated an ingratiating/non-ingratiating person, particularly when the evaluations were not the target of his compliments. In addition, the other independent variable was locus of control of reinforcement. A 2 x 2 factorial experimental design with two levels of locus of control (External/Internal) and two levels of target person (Ingratiating/non-ingratiating) was employed. Forty eight male engineering undergraduates participated in the study. Results revealed that the person's ingratiating versus non-ingratiating style significantly influenced Ss' attraction and evaluation toward him. The non-ingratiating person was evaluated more positively and as more attractive than the ingratiating person.