Early-Life Power and Self-Interested Behavior: The Interplay Between Past and Present
- Chih-Chieh Chu Chih-Chieh Chu ORCID profile. (opens in new tab) , ccchu@cc.ncue.edu.tw(compose email, opens in email app.), Department of Business Administration, National Changhua University of Education (opens in new tab)
- Raymond A Friedman, Management, Vanderbilt University (opens in new tab)
- Shu‐Cheng Steve Chi, College of Management, National Taiwan University (opens in new tab)
Abstract
In this paper we develop the concept of Early-Life Power (ELP) – the sense of power someone has in their life before becoming an adult. We propose that the known positive relationship between power and self-interested behavior will be enhanced by high ELP, and that – among those with high power – self-interested behavior will be higher for those with higher ELP. Study 1 adapts Anderson, John, &Keltner (2012)’s scale to develop a retrospective measure of ELP, and validates this version of the chronic power scale. Studies 2 and 3 test our predictions empirically, using self-reported self-interested behavior and results from the dictator game. In these two studies, we operationalize current power in three ways: subjective power, objective power, and position. The results provide partial support for our hypotheses.
Keywords:
- self-interest
- power
- entitlement
- prospect theory
- dictator game
How to Cite:
Chu, C., Friedman, R. A. & Chi, S. S., (2024) “Early-Life Power and Self-Interested Behavior: The Interplay Between Past and Present”, Negotiation and Conflict Management Research 17(1), 72-105. https://doi.org/10.34891/36sa-jz51 (external link, opens in new tab).
Funding
- Name
- Dean’s Fund for Research, Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University
- Name
- Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan, Republic of China
- Funding ID
- MOST107-2420-H-002-016-DR
3491 Views
308 Downloads
Published on
10 March 2024
Peer Reviewed