NEED FOR COGNITION AND INTERPERSONAL INFLUENCE - INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES IN IMPACT ON DYADIC DECISIONS

The role of need for cognition (NC; J. T. Cacioppo & R. E. Petty, 1982 ) in dyadic decisions was investigated. Consistent with the notion tha t individual differences in NC correspond to differences in attitude s trength, the prediscussion views of people high in NC were found to be more predictive of dyadic decisions than were the prediscussion views of people low in NC. High-NC people were viewed by their discussion p artners land by themselves) as being more effective persuaders, genera ting more arguments to support their views land thus counter those of their partners), and generating more valid arguments than their low-NC counterparts. The role of individual differences in understanding asy mmetries in group member influence and in predicting collective decisi on outcomes is discussed.