ATTITUDES AND SOCIAL COGNITION Relationship Orientation as a Moderator of the Effects of Social Power

This research examined the hypothesis that the concept of power is mentally associated with different goals for individuals with a communal versus an exchange relationship orientation (M. S. Clark & J. Mills, 1979). It was predicted that communals associate power with social-responsibility goals, whereas exchangers link power with self-interest goals. Thus, when power is activated, distinct goals should be ignited for communals and exchangers. Power was primed unobtrusively using semantic cues in Study 1 and using naturally occurring, environmental cues in Studies 2 and 3. Across studies, power-primed communals responded in socially responsible ways, whereas power-primed exchangers acted more in line with their self-interests. These power-goal effects occurred nonconsciously. Overall, the data support taking a Person x Situation approach—one that allows for moderators such as relationship orienta-tion—to understand power's positive and negative effects. Any man can withstand adversity; if you want to test his character, give him power.—Abraham Lincoln In 1972, Kipnis raised the question "Does power corrupt? " in the title of his empirical article. The bulk of his findings suggested that the answer to this question was "yes. " For example, Kipnis foun