Partners among Strangers

A social Relations perspective on personality and collaborative partner preferences in first encounters

Journal Article (2026)
Author(s)

Vasiliki Kentrou (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Jacek Buczny (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Tiffany Matej Hrkalovic (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Jheronimus Academy of Data Science)

Bernd Dudzik (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)

Daniel Balliet (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Hayley Hung (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)

Reinout E. de Vries (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Research Group
Pattern Recognition and Bioinformatics
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2026.104724 Final published version
More Info
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Publication Year
2026
Language
English
Research Group
Pattern Recognition and Bioinformatics
Journal title
Journal of Research in Personality
Volume number
122
Article number
104724
Downloads counter
18
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Abstract

Collaborative partnerships are often formed following a first encounter. For example, unacquainted individuals may collaborate to complete a project, develop a product, or solve a problem. Using the Social Relations Model, this study examined the extent to which first-encounter trait perceptions predicted collaborative partner preferences. Previously-unacquainted participants (N = 297, 55 groups, 55.9% female) interacted dyadically and provided round-robin ratings of extraversion, honesty-humility, competence, and partner preference. At the target level, individuals who were consistently viewed as extraverted and competent were consistently preferred more as partners. At the relationship level, individuals who were uniquely viewed as honest-humble and competent were uniquely preferred more as partners. Findings underscore the relevance of target- and relationship-specific perceptions in predicting first-encounter collaborative partner preferences.