Premium
Absolute power leads to absolute corruption? Impact of power on corruption depending on the concepts of power one holds
Author(s) -
Wang Fang,
Sun Xunwei
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
european journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1099-0992
pISSN - 0046-2772
DOI - 10.1002/ejsp.2134
Subject(s) - power (physics) , social psychology , perception , psychology , language change , context (archaeology) , position (finance) , economics , art , paleontology , literature , finance , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , biology , physics
Power has long been linked to the stigma of corruption. Three studies indicated that different power concepts have different implications for corruption behavior and perception. The personalized power concept relates to using power to pursue self‐centered goals for one's own benefit, whereas the socialized power concept relates to using power to pursue other‐focused goals for benefiting and helping others. Three studies were conducted to explore the effect of these two types of power concepts on corrupt intention or practice. The power concepts were measured in Study 1, primed through previous experience in Study 2, and utilized within a specific context in Study 3, respectively. Taken together, the three studies indicate that the personalized (vs. socialized) power concept increases (vs. decreases) self‐interested behavior and tolerance towards others' (especially high‐position others') corrupt practices.