Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: Research indicates that power elicits promotion focus, a motivational tendency towards attaining desired end states, but not prevention focus, a motivational tendency towards avoiding undesired end states (Higgins, 1997; Willis, 2009). Little research has examined the mechanisms behind this relationship. Power also elicits success expectancies (Anderson & Galinsky, 2006) and success expectancies can intensify a promotion focus (van-Dijk & Kluger, 2004). This suggests a mediational role for success expectations in the relationship between power and promotion focus. Five studies tested this prediction. The first study measured power and motivational tendencies. The three following studies manipulated power and then measured success expectancies and motivational tendencies. The final study measured power, success expectancies, and motivational tendencies. Evidence for the relationship between power and promotion focus, and for the mediating role of success expectancies, was obtained only when power was measured. The results indicate that relative levels of prevention and promotion may be more important in the relationship between power and motivation than their absolute levels, and that promotion and prevention focus may have distinct aspects (i.e., they may not be unitary phenomena) that are affected differently by feelings of power. Results also suggest an explanation for the greater goal focus of powerful individuals.
Author: Joshua Davis Fetterman
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W994401711