Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

11-2018

Abstract

We examine the role of low-power individuals in social power research. A multi-method literature review reveals that low-power individuals may be insufficiently understood because many studies lack necessary control conditions that allow drawing inferences about low power, effects are predominantly attributed to high power, and qualitative reviews primarily focus on how high-power individuals feel, think, and behave. Challenging the assumption that low power tends to produce opposite consequences of high power, we highlight several similarities between the two states. Based on social exchange theories, we propose that unequal-power (vs. equal-power) relationships make instrumental goals, competitive attitudes, and exchange rules salient, which can cause both high- and low-power individuals to behave similarly. Two experiments suggest that although low-power individuals sometimes behave in opposite ways to high-power individuals (i.e., they take less action), at other times they behave similarly (i.e., they objectify others to the same extent). We discuss the systematic study of low-power individuals and highlight methodological implications.

Keywords

Social power, Powerful, Powerless, Review, Curvilinear effects, Experimental design, Social exchange, Study design, Control condition, Action orientation, Objectification

Discipline

Industrial and Organizational Psychology | Organizational Behavior and Theory

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes

Volume

149

First Page

73

Last Page

96

ISSN

0749-5978

Identifier

10.1016/j.obhdp.2018.08.004

Publisher

Elsevier

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Comments

Data available at OSF https://osf.io/nv4jb/

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2018.08.004

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