Psychology of power

Abstract

The paper presents a review contemporary theories and research on power defined as an asymmetrical control over resources in social relationships. Power is conferred by a social group to individuals who promise to be most conducive to the group’s well-being, who more frequently than not are intelligent, socially skillful, and extravert. Power is inherently asymmetrical and involves complementary positions leading to ever-increasing differences between individuals occupying different hierarchy levels. Those who have power are typically more active, demanding, attempting to influence, and getting more resources than those subjugated to power, who are typically more passive, demanding less, yielding more, and getting less resources. Therefore, individuals conferred with power tend to maximize benefits both for the group and for themselves, which is a source of the basic ambivalence about power. Metamorphic effects of power are reviewed and summarized with respect to cognitive, emotional, behavioral and social changes induced in the individuals occupying high and low positions in a power hierarchy. A separation of different kinds of power and keeping those in power socially accountable are proposed as the main means to counteract socially undesirable effects of power.