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Power effects on interindividual and intergroup competition.

Tim Wildschut1, Chester A Insko2

  • 1School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

The British Journal of Social Psychology
|March 17, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Groups tend to be more competitive than individuals, a phenomenon known as interindividual-intergroup discontinuity. This study reveals that high-power individuals drive increased competition, regardless of power source or group dynamics.

Keywords:
competitiondiscontinuity effectfate controlintergrouppersonal powerpowerreflexive controlsocial power

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Area of Science:

  • Social Psychology
  • Behavioral Economics
  • Game Theory

Background:

  • Interindividual-intergroup discontinuity describes groups acting more competitively than individuals.
  • Previous research often overlooked power differentials in mixed-motive games.
  • Studies predominantly focused on high-power actors, neglecting low-power perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate how power differentials (equal vs. unequal) influence the discontinuity effect.
  • Compare behaviors of high- and low-power players within unequal power structures.
  • Differentiate between power derived from controlling others' outcomes versus one's own outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental comparison of interindividual and intergroup interactions.
  • Manipulation of power levels (equal, high, low) and power source (control over others vs. self).
  • Analysis of competitive behavior in mixed-motive game settings.

Main Results:

  • Groups exhibited greater competitiveness than individuals, consistent with the discontinuity effect.
  • The magnitude of the discontinuity effect did not differ significantly between equal and unequal power settings.
  • Unequal power, compared to equal power, generally promoted competition, driven by high-power players.
  • High power significantly increased competition in both interindividual and intergroup interactions, irrespective of the power's origin.

Conclusions:

  • Power dynamics significantly shape competitive behavior in social interactions.
  • High-power individuals are key drivers of increased competition, particularly in unequal power contexts.
  • The findings extend understanding of the interindividual-intergroup discontinuity by incorporating power differentials.