Personal vs social power : investigating the differential effects of the two types of power on self-expression

• Main Author: Lin, Cherie Xinyi
• Other Authors: Wan Ching
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Psychology::Experimental psychology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/69449
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The possession of power can be thought of as having the ability to control the outcome of others (i.e., social power), as well as the ability to maintain control over one’s own outcome (i.e., personal power). Elevated power has been linked to heightened levels of self-expression, though it is unclear whether such findings are the results of personal or social power. The current research provides a direct comparison between the two types of power, examining whether personal and social power could differ in their extent of self-expression. In two studies, I examined the effect of personal and social power on two indicators of self-expression: (a) one’s level of adherence to personal attitudes and (b) one’s level of prosociality. Results showed a stronger divergence between personal and social power on prosocial measures, while a weaker divergence between the two types of power on adherence to personal attitudes. Taken together, these findings provide a preliminary understanding of how different forms of power could impact the powerholders differently.