Determinants of powerholder's self- and interpersonal-perceptions

The present study investigated how the powerholder influences the less powerful and how he perceives both himself and the less powerful. Each subject supervised four (fictitious) workers as the manager of a simulated company. The subject was given positive or negative feedback on his production control which represented either his success or failure in goal-achievement. The subject exercised most power on both the least and the most productive workers. The goal-achievement factor influenced evaluation of subject's own contribution to the company and willingness to talk with the workers. The amount of power-exercise influenced evaluation of his contribution to the company, willingness to rehire the workers and rating of the workers’ motivation to do well.