Power and revenge. (10th July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Strelan, Peter; Weick, Mario; Vasiljevic, Milica
• Is Part Of: British journal of social psychology. Volume 53:Part 3(2014:Sep.)
• Page Start: 521
• Page End: 540
• Publication Date: 2013-07-10
• Subjects: Social psychology -- Periodicals; 302.05
• DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12044
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-6665

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="bjso12044-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>We took an individual differences approach to explain revenge tendencies in powerholders. Across four experimental studies, chronically powerless individuals sought more revenge than chronically powerful individuals following a high power episode (Studies 1 and 2), when striking a powerful pose (Study 3), and when making a powerful hand gesture (Study 4). This relationship vanished when participants were not exposed to incidental power. A meta‐analysis revealed that, relative to a lack of power or a neutral context, exposure to incidental power <italic>increased</italic> vengeance among the chronically powerless and <italic>reduced</italic> vengeance among the chronically powerful. These findings add to previous research on relations between power and aggression, and underscore the role of individual differences as a determinant of powerholders' destructive responses.</p> </abstract>