This research derives from the proposition that a helping relationship influences the helper's perceptions of the recipient, and that the perceptual consequences are not necessarily positive. It was hypothesized that persons who help tend to underestimate the ability of the recipient. In a 2 X 2 factorial design, subjects (48 college males) performed comparable actions which either could or could not help another person (a confederate) who either succeeded or failed at a task. Subjects who helped perceived the recipient as less competent for related tasks and as less competent in other situations. Within the help condition, subjects who attributed a greater influence to their help perceived the recipient as lower in ability. The results, together with several other considerations, suggest that a helping relationship creates a bias toward helper perceptions of low recipient ability. (Author)