Felt power explains the link between position power and experienced emotions

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Emotion Science

Background:

• The approach/inhibition theory posits that power influences emotional states, predicting more positive and less negative emotions in powerful individuals.
• Empirical evidence supporting this theory has been inconsistent, necessitating further investigation into the nuances of power's effect on emotions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the differential roles of felt power and position power in shaping emotional experiences.
• To clarify the inconsistent findings in existing research on power and emotion.

Main Methods:

• Four studies were conducted, manipulating or measuring participants' felt power and position power.
• Participants' emotional states were assessed following these manipulations, with some studies involving interactions with virtual humans.
• A meta-analysis was performed to synthesize the results across all four studies.

Main Results:

• Felt power demonstrated a significant positive association with positive emotions (happiness, serenity) and a negative association with negative emotions (fear, anger, sadness).
• Position power, in contrast, did not show a significant direct relationship with emotional states.
• Felt power was found to mediate the relationship between position power and emotional outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The subjective experience of power (felt power) is the primary mechanism through which objective power (position power) influences emotional states.
• Understanding felt power is crucial for accurately predicting emotional responses in social interactions.
• This research clarifies the approach/inhibition theory by highlighting the mediating role of subjective power experiences.