Immediate Impressions of Nonverbal Ingratiation Attempts by Learning Disabled Boys

Learning disabled and nondisabled children were videotaped while being administered a standardized interview by a young adult female. Half of the children in each group received instructions to ingratiate themselves with the interviewer, while the remaining children were told to “act naturally”. The videotapes were subsequently used in three experiments in which the nature of the observers was varied. College students, mothers, and children served as observers and were asked to rate the videotaped child on a variety of items. Videotapes were presented without sound such that the ratings were based on nonverbal behaviors. In general, it was found that observers judged learning disabled children more harshly than nondisabled youngsters.