Power

Power

• the capacity to affect the outcomes of oneself and others (Coleman & Tjosvold, 2000)

Influence = only affect outcomes (subjective); power = has intention to change outcomes

Bases of Power

1. Reward - positive or negative reinforcement

2. Coercive - positive or negative punishment

3. Legitimate - from a position or role

4. Referent - from identification and liking

5. Expert - based on skills and competencies

6. Information - rational arguments, facts, logic

• it is the members’ perception of a group member’s power base that affects the behavior of members, not the actual resources

Constructive Power

• power used to enhance group effectiveness (rather than reduce), to benefit the common good, and is encouraged or agreed upon by all members

• outside of this definition → destructive

Dynamic Interdependence

• posits that who is influencing whom to what degree changes constantly as members strive to achieve the group’s goals

1. Depending on the issue → who’s the expert about the current issue

2. Depending on the type of interdependence

• seen to exist in relationships, not in individuals and to be almost always bidirectional

Competition

• The Milgram study demonstrates how power can be used to get a person to do the bidding of another person, usually a person with authority

• Power is the successful influence of one person over another who’s originally unwilling to perform, performs it

• Power can have positive effects on the wielder, it can cause negative effects on group members. This includes:

  Negative Effects

  1. Rebellion

  2. More conflict

  3. Destructive obedience

  4. Alienation

  5. Psychological reactance

Cooperation

• The cooperative context is usually met with less resistance because members are inducible

• Inducibility increases coordination and helps the group members become more open to another member’s influence to promote the achievement of group goals

  Power in Cooperation

  1. Expandable

  2. Something to be shared

  3. Acting in a bidirectional way

  4. Noncoercive

  5. Asymmetrical

  6. Based on expertise, competence, access to information

Trait Factor

1. Power and persuasion

2. Social dominance theory

Persuasion

• Power as a trait

• People are more likely to be influenced by individuals whom they perceive to be trustworthy, distribute resources fairly, and treat people with respect

Social Dominance Theory

• Bases power on one’s ability to control resources

• A social dominance hierarchy is created when members of a social group vary in their ability to acquire resources; Some are better at competing for resources than others, and so some are ranked higher than others

High power doesn’t equate to competence and expertise; might negatively affect group effectiveness

What does this mean for group performance?

Group Effectiveness

• based on competence, expertise, and relevant information

• undermined when power is not equally distributed among members; when the use of authority dominates and expertise and information bases of power are ignored

High-Power and Low-Power Members

High-Power Members

Positive

• initiative, positive emotions, increased self-esteem, motivation, and resistance to conformity pressures

Negative

• happy with the status quo, dominate low-power individuals, believe rules do not apply to them, entitled, can and do break rules and laws

• when threatened, reject initiatives from low-power members

• legitimize their own privileges and intimidate low-power individuals, have an inflated sense of self-esteem, and devalue low-power individuals

Low-Power Members

• cooperate, comply, and yield

• attribute the group success to their own efforts (i.e. self-serving attribution)

• resistance, psychological reactance, and obstruction

• negatively evaluate high-power individuals

Mobilizing Power to Achieve Goals

1. Determine your goals

2. Assess your relevant resources

3. Determine what other resources you need to achieve your goals and who has these resources

4. Negotiate an agreement to mutually support one another’s successful goal achievement

5. Carry out the activities necessary to achieve members’ and the group’s goals

INDIRECT WAYS

Conformity

• a change in one’s actions, emotions, judgments, etc. that reduces the discrepancy with those of others; can either be compliance or private acceptance

Extreme Group Influence

• Bystander effect (diffusion of responsibility)

• Group polarization

• Deindividuation

In summary, groups are most powerful when power is equally distributed among its members and is based on information and expertise. Otherwise, low-power members need to engage in specific behaviors to cooperate with high-power members.