title: A matter of focus: Power-holders feel more responsible after adopting a cognitive other-focus, rather than a self-focus.
abstract: Social power implies responsibility. Yet, power-holders often follow only their own interests and overlook this responsibility. The present research illuminates how a previously adopted cognitive focus guides perceived responsibility when a person receives high (vs. low) power. In three experiments, adopting a cognitive focus on another person (vs. on the self or taking over another person's perspective) promoted perceived responsibility among individuals receiving high (but not low) power in a subsequent context. This effect was specific for perceived responsibility - a cognitive focus on another person did not change the perceived opportunity to pursue goals or the perceived relationship to an interaction partner (e.g., interpersonal closeness). While prior research examined how social values (i.e., chronically caring about others) guide responsibility among those holding power, the current findings highlight that mere cognitive processes (i.e., situationally focusing attention on others) alter perceived responsibility among those just about to receive power.
authors.affiliation: Social Processes Lab, Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6151-4003
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scholl
authors.affiliation: Social Processes Lab, Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tübingen, Germany.|University of Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6579-8250
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sassenberg
authors.affiliation: Leiden University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Daan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scheepers
authors.affiliation: University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ellemers
authors.affiliation: Melbourne Business School, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Wit
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cognitive focus; construal of power; opportunity; responsibility; social power