When dispositional and role power fit: implications for self-expression and self-other congruence.
Integrating and extending the literatures on social power and person-environment fit, 4 studies tested the hypothesis that when people's dispositional beliefs about their capacity to influence others fit their assigned role power, they are more likely to engage in self-expression-that is, behave in line with their states and traits-thereby increasing their likelihood of being perceived by others in a manner congruent with their own self-judgments (i.e., self-other congruence). In Studies 1-3, dispositionally high- and low-power participants were randomly assigned to play a high- or low-power role in an interaction with a confederate. When participants' dispositional and role power fit (vs. conflicted), they reported greater self-expression (Study 1). Furthermore, under dispositional-role power fit conditions, the confederate's ratings of participants' emotional experiences (Study 2) and personality traits (Study 3) were more congruent with participants' self-reported emotions and traits. Study 4's results replicated Study 3's results using an implicit manipulation of power and outside observers' (rather than a confederate's) ratings of participants. Implications for research on power and person perception are discussed.
Chen
Serena
S
Department of Psychology, University of California-Berkeley.
Langner
Carrie A
CA
Department of Psychology, University of California-Berkeley.
Mendoza-Denton
Rodolfo
R
Department of Psychology, University of California-Berkeley.
D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004532:Ego; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality / Q000502:physiology; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012649:Self Concept; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012919:Social Behavior; D012938:Social Perception; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires