Prestige of an influencer and perceptions of power

Abstract

Twenty male and 30 female Ss rated the amount of influence possessed by hypothetical persons described by various adjectives. Influencers were rated on two response dimensions, when employing threats as an influence mode and when employing persuasion as an influence mode. Influencers were described as either high (wealthy) or low (poor) in capability to influence, and as having either accommodative or exploitative influence intentions. When threats were employed as the influence mode, Ss perceived the influencer to be more powerful when described as wealthy rather than poor, and exploitative rather than accommodative. When persuasion was employed as the influence mode, Ss perceived the influencer to be more powerful when described as wealthy rather than poor, and accommodative rather than exploitative. The adjective descriptions of the hypothetical influencers were combined by Ss in a simple linear fashion on both dimensions in determining their impressions of influence. © 1974, The Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.