The role of the self-concept and the social context in determining the behavior of power holders: self-construal in intergroup versus dyadic dispute resolution negotiations.
In this work, the authors explored how a person's view of himself or herself might determine his or her use of power in a complex dispute resolution negotiation. In 3 studies of asymmetric power in negotiations, the authors demonstrated that the impact of power on motivation and behavior is moderated by both a person's self-view and the social context. In Study 1, the results revealed that in a one-on-one dispute, powerful individuals primed to hold an interdependent (as opposed to independent) self-construal are more generous in resolving their disputes with low-powered opponents. Study 2 replicated this finding but revealed a different pattern in intergroup disputes, in which powerful interdependent teams of negotiators are actually less generous than are independent teams. Study 3 provided a conceptual replication of Study 2, with the use of chronic measures of self-construal and self-reported measures of behavior. Results suggest that an interdependent self-construal may lead to a more benevolent use of power in dyadic conflicts but more exploitive uses of power in intergroup conflicts. Implications for the understanding of power and self-construal are discussed.
Howard
Elizabeth Seeley
ES
Stern School of Business, New York University, New York 10012, USA. elizabeth.howard@stern.nyu.edu
Gardner
Wendi L
WL
Thompson
Leigh
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D005260:Female; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D017008:Negotiating; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D012933:Social Identification