Low power individuals in social power research: A quantitative review, theoretical framework, and empirical test

•A literature review shows that power research has primarily focused on high power.•This has led to one-sided theories and study designs at the expense of low power.•We challenge the belief that low power is always the opposite of high power.•Both high- and low-power individuals are part of unequal-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Organizational behavior and human decision processes 2018-11, Vol.149, p.73-96
Main Authors: Schaerer, Michael, du Plessis, Christilene, Yap, Andy J., Thau, Stefan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Action orientation
Control condition
Curvilinear effects
Experimental design
Objectification
Powerful
Powerless
Review
Social exchange
Social power
Study design
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Summary:•A literature review shows that power research has primarily focused on high power.•This has led to one-sided theories and study designs at the expense of low power.•We challenge the belief that low power is always the opposite of high power.•Both high- and low-power individuals are part of unequal-power relationships.•Two experiments show that high and low power can sometimes have similar effects. 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.
ISSN:0749-5978
1095-9920
DOI:10.1016/j.obhdp.2018.08.004