Effects of Social Choice Procedures on Interpersonal 'Liking' Relationships: A Balance Approach.

A theoretical analysis is presented relating the social or group choice procedures of majority rule, oligarchy, dictatorship, and unanimity to interpersonal liking. It is assumed that a given group chooses one of two alternatives, between which every group member has a preference. Balance theory is interpreted as suggesting that the liking of any individual P for another O is determined by a whether or not P agrees with O as regards their preferences between alternatives and b whether or not O is thought by P to be responsible for the groups acceptance of an agreeable or a disagreeable alternative. Because the social choice rule in effect in a group tends to determine, at least in part, any individuals responsibility for the group decision, different social choice procedures will tend to produce different structures of interpersonal liking relationships. Predicted structures of interpersonal liking relationships are given for each of the four social choice rules under consideration. Possible extensions of the formulation to choice situations involving more than two alternatives and to additional social choice procedures are discussed. Author