Is Likeability in the Eye of the Beholder? A Quasi-Experimental Study on Personality, Social Anxiety and the Need for Affiliation in Assessing the Likability of Socially Anxious Adults.

Abstract

While most people desire acceptance and approval from their peers, previous research have shown that for anxious individuals often peers show a reduced willingness to pursue further interactions with them after initial interactions. To gain a deeper understanding of the factors influencing the process of likability, we conducted two studies. Using a zero-acquaintance paradigm and a quasi-experimental design, we aimed to investigate whether the likability of socially anxious and non-anxious individuals is primarily influenced by first impressions or the extent of their self-disclosure. The second study explored how evaluators' characteristics - such as personality traits, social anxiety, need for affiliation - influence the way they rate the likability levels of the (non)anxious individuals. We observed differences in evaluators' perceptions of speakers with respect to likeability and their desire for future interactions. Moreover, evaluator characteristics, such as social anxiety and the need for affiliation, were found to significantly influence their assessments of the likeability of socially anxious speakers.