The power to gaslight

11Citations
Citations of this article
48Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

This article is free to access.

Abstract

Gaslighting is a dysfunctional pattern of relating that destabilizes an individual’s sense of reality. Adopting a communication perspective, this study examined the relationship between gaslighting and interpersonal power dynamics. Participants (N = 298) recalled a disagreement with a dating partner and provided measures of dependence power and their experience of gaslighting. Results were counter-theoretical, suggesting a curvilinear relationship between gaslighting and power. Specifically, individuals with low and high levels of power reported greater gaslighting than those with moderate power. Results suggest that tacit control attempts differ from overt control attempts in how they (re)produce relational hierarchy. The study underscores the importance of understanding relationship contexts in studying dysfunctional interpersonal dynamics.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Graves, C. G., & Samp, J. A. (2021). The power to gaslight. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 38(11), 3378–3386. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075211026975

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free