10. Power

Social power

Capacity to produce intended effects in others

Power property

Power is relational and depends on others

Obedience

Following orders from an authority

Authority effect

Legitimate authority increases compliance

Agentic state

Seeing oneself as instrument of authority

Milgram paradigm

Experiment showing high levels of obedience to authority

Obedience determinants

Proximity, legitimacy, surveillance, and setting affect obedience

Group obedience effect

Others’ behavior strongly shapes obedience

Power bases

Sources of influence within a group

Reward power

Control over positive outcomes

Coercive power

Control over punishment or threats

Legitimate power

Authority based on role or position

Referent power

Influence based on identification or admiration

Expert power

Influence based on knowledge or skill

Informational power

Influence through logic and persuasion

Power tactics

Strategies used to influence others

Hard tactics

Coercion and pressure-based influence

Soft tactics

Persuasion and collaboration-based influence

Unilateral tactics

Influence without input from others

Bilateral tactics

Influence through discussion and negotiation

Pecking order

Stable hierarchy of status in group

Expectation-states theory

Status based on perceived competence

Specific status traits

Task-relevant competence indicators

Diffuse status traits

General traits used to infer competence

Status generalization

Status carries across domains

Solo status

Being only member of category increases pressure

Iron law of oligarchy

Power concentrates in hands of few

Interpersonal complementarity

Dominance elicits submission

Power positive effects

Increases action, optimism, and goal pursuit

Power cognition effect

Improves focus and decision-making

Power resistance effect

Reduces conformity

Power negative effects

Increases risk-taking and unethical behavior

Power empathy loss

Reduces perspective-taking and compassion

Power distance effect

Increases social distance and distrust

Power overconfidence

Inflated self-views and control beliefs

Bathsheba syndrome

Misuse of power for personal gain

Approach-inhibition theory

Power activates action, lack of power inhibits behavior

Revolutionary coalition

Subgroup challenging existing power structure

Lucifer effect

Situations can lead ordinary people to harmful behavior

Influence internalization levels

Compliance, identification, and internalization