The push and pull of dominance and power: When dominance hurts, when power helps, and the potential role of other-focus

Abstract

Three studies examined how dominance and power relate to empathy (i.e., empathic concern and perspective-taking), and the potential explanatory role of other-focus. Across studies, dominance predicted reduced empathy, whereas power predicted increased empathy. The relationship between power and empathy appeared more pronounced for perspective-taking. Mediation analyses suggested that the divergent effects of dominance and power may be explained in part by how they influence other-focused tendencies. Study 3 utilized an experimental manipulation of self-construal to examine the potential role of other-focus. A significant interaction between power and condition supported the notion that power may positively relate to empathy by increasing other-focus. Studies 2 and 3 examined the role of prestige and found that the relationship between power and empathy differed depending on whether analyses controlled for dominance or prestige. These studies suggest that dominance, as an individual difference, can reduce the tendency to focus on others and decrease empathy, whereas power and prestige, as interpersonal constructs, may enhance other-focused and empathic tendencies as a means to maintain that power. These findings also suggest that the measure of personal power is not inherently neutral, but rather composed in part of items that overlap with prestige and items that overlap with dominance.