Little is known about strategic intentions of help-seekers. The current research explored potential interpretations of help requests based on help-seekers’ traits. Participants (n = 189) read a...Show moreLittle is known about strategic intentions of help-seekers. The current research explored potential interpretations of help requests based on help-seekers’ traits. Participants (n = 189) read a scenario, in which one group requests help from another, and indicated their agreement with statements regarding help-seekers’ intentions. Scales for help-seekers’ intentions were constructed using the dimensions warmth and competence from the stereotype content model by Susan Fiske: exploitation (unfairly benefitting from support), assistance (having someone else do the “dirty work”), genuine request (asking help out of need) and gentle dominance (showing appreciation). A help-request was more likely to be perceived as gentle dominance for help-seekers perceived as warm, and exploitation and assistance interpretations were more likely when help-seekers were perceived as cold. No effects were found for competence. It is argued that these results suggest that a request for help itself might label help-seekers as incompetent, while warmth influences the perceived intention.Show less