Power and Revenge

Strelan, P.; Weick, M.; Vasiljevic, M.

Abstract

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 increased vengeance amongst the chronically powerless and reduced vengeance amongst 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.

Citation

Strelan, P., Weick, M., & Vasiljevic, M. (2014). Power and Revenge. British Journal of Social Psychology, 53(3), 521-540. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12044

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 7, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Jul 10, 2013
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: Sep 12, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 18, 2018
• Journal: British Journal of Social Psychology
• Print ISSN: 0144-6665
• Electronic ISSN: 2044-8309
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 53
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 521-540
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12044
• Keywords: Power, Dominance, Revenge, Body posture, Gesture.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1349362
• Related Public URLs: http://kar.kent.ac.uk/34211/