Self-serving interpretations of flattery: why ingratiation works

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Individuals who are flattered tend to like and trust the flatterer more than observers do.
• This phenomenon is often attributed to vanity, but previous studies have confounded this effect with other variables.
• Understanding the precise mechanisms behind this social dynamic is crucial for social psychology research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and confirm the effect of being flattered on judgments of an ingratiator, independent of confounding variables.
• To investigate whether cognitive resources, motives (liking, accuracy), or mood influence the difference between targets and observers in their perception of ingratiation.
• To explore the role of self-esteem in modulating cognitive and affective responses to ingratiation.

Main Methods:

• Experimental design to compare judgments of ingratiators between individuals who are targets of flattery and neutral observers.
• Manipulation of confounding variables such as cognitive load, specific interaction motives, and participant mood.
• Assessment of personality variables, particularly self-esteem, among participants.

Main Results:

• The difference in judgments between targets and observers remained consistent, unaffected by variations in cognitive resources, motives, or mood.
• Cognitive responses to ingratiation strategies varied significantly between participants with high and low self-esteem.
• Affective responses and overall judgments of the ingratiator were not influenced by self-esteem levels or other personality variables tested.

Conclusions:

• Vanity appears to be a primary driver for the enhanced credibility and liking of flatterers by targets, independent of other factors.
• Self-esteem moderates cognitive processing of ingratiation, but not the fundamental affective and judgment outcomes.
• These findings clarify the psychological underpinnings of how flattery influences interpersonal perceptions and judgments.