Why and under what circumstances is a hypothesis-consistent testing strategy preferred in interviews?

Two studies examined hypothesis-consistent questions under goals of information seeking and empathy. In Study 1, observers rated the informativeness and empathy of questions classified as diagnostic or leading, and as matching or not matching a hypothesis (extroversion-introversion). In an impression formation setting, observers rated both matching and diagnostic questions as especially informative, but in an impression verification setting, they rated leading questions as especially informative. Across settings, matching and leading questions both displayed empathy. In Study 2, participants expected to interview an introverted or extroverted person, under either an information-seeking or an empathy goal. Interviewers favoured matching questions, especially under an empathy goal. Interviewers also selected more diagnostic than leading questions. Interviewers and observers both consider matching questions informative, with the added benefit of showing empathy to smooth the interaction.