Individuals high or low in assertiveness were paired with one another and then brought together in dyads in either a social conflict or social acquaintantship. There was no relationship between self-reported assertiveness and acting assertively. In the conflict situation, where highly assertive persons were paired, they viewed their partners as more competent and desirable than paired groups low in assertiveness or groups of mixed high and low assertiveness. This effect for highly assertive persons became even more pronounced in the acquaintance situation. The roles of anxiety, sacrifice, and reasonableness were examined, and suggestions for further research were made.
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