Network Connections and the Distribution of Power in Exchange Networks

TLDR

Recent research on exchange networks has examined how network connections influence power distribution. This study extends that work by theoretically specifying how different types of network connections affect power distribution. The authors employ power‑dependence principles to predict power distribution across exchange networks with varying connection types. Laboratory experiments and computer simulations show that the locus of power is determined by the nature of network connections—positive, negative, or mixed—and resource scarcity, which alter dependency relations.

Abstract

This article presents an extension of recent work on exchange networks and specifies theoretically the implications of different types of network connections for the distribution of power. The paper employs power-dependence principles to make predictions concerning the distribution of power in differently organized exchange networks. The results of several laboratory experiments are reported testing these predictions. Computer simulation results are also presented testing predictions that extend beyond the experimental work. The findings demonstrate that the locus of power in exchange networks is determined by the nature of the network connections (positive, negative, or mixed) and the scarcity of resources, factors that alter the underlying dependency relations.