COGNITIONS AND BEHAVIOR IN A HIERARCHY - MULDERS POWER THEORY REVISITED

In this study, Mulder's power theory consisting of the power distance reduction tendency (PDR) of less powerful group members towards more powerful others, and the power distance enlargement tendency (PDE) of more powerful group members towards less powerful others, is investigated. In particular, two different interpretations of the relationships Mulder hypothesized between power distance and power tendencies are examined. In Experiment 1 no support was found for the interpersonal interpretation. Evidence for the intrapersonal interpretation was found only for the PDE. The most remarkable difference between these results and the results of previous experiments was that we did not find any consistent support for an increased interpersonal PDR with smaller power distance. Therefore, in Experiment 2 a more extensive investigation was undertaken focusing on interpersonal measures similar to the one used earlier by Mulder and his co-workers. Results of these measures yielded support for the interpersonal interpretations of both tendencies. In the discussion an explanation for the obtained results is offered that departs from the (in) stability of the power hierarchy.