Smile when you say that: Effects of willingness on dispositional inferences

A large body of research has investigated how perceivers integrate a target’s behavior with information about situational forces. However, little research has investigated how the willingness with which a behavior is performed affects inferences. Two experiments examined the effect of behavioral willingness on dispositional inferences. In experiment 1, a target’s willingness to help had a strong effect on inferences. In experiment 2, effects of willingness were even stronger under cognitive load. Implications are discussed.