The Personal Sense of Power

TLDR

Psychological research suggests that power shapes behavior by fostering an elevated sense of power, yet the personal sense of power remains poorly understood due to limited empirical studies. Across 1,141 participants, personal sense of power was coherent within social contexts, moderately consistent across relationships with notable specificity, and influenced by sociostructural factors and personality traits such as dominance.

Abstract

Scholars who examine the psychological effects of power have often argued that possessing power shapes individual behavior because it instills an elevated sense of power. However, little is known about the personal sense of power because very few studies have examined it empirically. In studies involving a total of 1,141 participants and nine different samples, we found that the personal sense of power was coherent within social contexts; for example, individuals who believed that they can get their way in a group also believed that they can influence fellow group members' attitudes and opinions. The personal sense of power was also moderately consistent across relationships but showed considerable relationship specificity; for example, individuals' personal sense of power vis-à-vis their friend tended to be distinct but moderately related to their personal sense of power vis-à-vis their parent. And the personal sense of power was affected not only by sociostructural factors (e.g., social position, status) but also by personality variables such as dominance.