title: Power corrupts co-operation: cognitive and motivational effects in a double EEG paradigm.
abstract: This study investigated the effect of interpersonal power on co-operative performance. We used a paired electro-encephalogram paradigm: pairs of participants performed an attention task, followed by feedback indicating monetary loss or gain on every trial. Participants were randomly allocated to the power-holder, subordinate or neutral group by creating different levels of control over how a joint monetary reward would be allocated. We found that power was associated with reduced behavioural accuracy. Event-related potential analysis showed that power-holders devoted less motivational resources to their targets than did subordinates or neutrals, but did not differ at the level of early conflict detection. Their feedback potential results showed a greater expectation of rewards but reduced subjective magnitude attributed to losses. Subordinates, on the other hand, were asymmetrically sensitive to power-holders' targets. They expected fewer rewards, but attributed greater significance to losses. Our study shows that power corrupts balanced co-operation with subordinates.
authors.affiliation: Oxford Centre for the Study of Intergroup Conflict, Department of Experimental Psychology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3UD, UK. riam.kanso@sjc.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Riam
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kanso
authors.forename: Miles
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hewstone
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waszczuk
authors.forename: Anna Christina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Nobre
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011930:Reaction Time; D012201:Reward; D012930:Social Dominance; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult