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When power does not corrupt: superior individuation processes among powerful perceivers.

J R Overbeck¹, B Park

¹Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder, 80309-0345, USA. overbeck@psych.colorado.edu

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

|October 20, 2001

Summary

Powerful individuals generally individuate those with less power, but this effect can be altered. Organizational responsibilities, rather than interpersonal ones, can impair the social judgment of high-power individuals.

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Area of Science:

Social Psychology
Organizational Behavior
Power Dynamics

Background:

Previous research suggests power may lead to reduced individuation of others.
The impact of power on social judgment requires further nuanced investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if powerful individuals fail to individuate less powerful individuals.
To explore the conditions under which power influences social judgment.

Main Methods:

Participants were assigned to high-power or low-power roles in a computer-mediated E-mail role-play.
Three studies were conducted, varying the focus of responsibility for high-power participants.

Main Results:

High-power participants demonstrated superior individuation of low-power targets in Studies 1 and 2.

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Study 3 revealed that focusing high-power individuals on organizational concerns impaired their judgment compared to interpersonal concerns.

Conclusions:

Power's effect on social judgment is complex and not always detrimental to individuation.
The nature of responsibility (organizational vs. interpersonal) significantly moderates how power affects social judgment.