Power and Conflict Instigation
People with lower power tend to be dependent and discontent; as a result, they find it harder to respond well to conflict with people of higher power (Coleman, 2000). Keltner, Gruenfeld, and Anderson (2003) theorize that low power individuals show more inhibition and approach others less because they perceive increased threat, increased punishment, and increased social constraints.
Low power people also are more likely to experience negative moods and emotions and to make more careful, controlled judgments about others.High power people tend to underestimate and even ignore the power of low power people and groups; they also tend to attempt to dominate the relationship and make it difficult to work with these others (Coleman, 2000). Keltner et al. (2003) propose that high power individuals should experience less inhibition and higher approach behavior. They explain that people with higher power should perceive others based on their role in helping with goal achievement, pay more attention to social reward, and use more simplistic and automatic ways to think about their social environment. Galinsky, Gruenfeld, and Magee (2003) also found that powerful people are more likely to take action that will help them achieve goals and keep power. These people act in ways that are consistent with their goals and objectives. Levels of power, then, clearly affect people’s choices about being direct in managing conflict.