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Holding onto power: effects of powerholders' positional instability and expectancies on interactions with subordinates
Author(s) -
Georgesen John,
Harris Monica J.
Publication year - 2006
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.352
Subject(s) - expectancy theory , psychology , social psychology , boss , power (physics) , materials science , physics , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
This study explores the effects of power, positional threat, and expectancies on interactions between powerholders and subordinates. Two hundred and forty‐two participants were randomly assigned to power role (boss or employee). Bosses were further randomly assigned to levels of positional threat (power role secure or insecure) and expectancy regarding subordinates' problem‐solving ability (negative or positive). Evidence for a self‐fulfilling prophecy was obtained, such that dyads where bosses held negative expectancies of their subordinates rated the subordinate and experience most negatively and awarded less potential prize money to the subordinates. Expectancy interacted with positional threat in a consistent manner such that the most negative effects were obtained for dyads where bosses were both positionally threatened and held negative expectancies of subordinates. Implications for theories of power are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.