A recent study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology challenges the common perception that impulsiveness is a hallmark of powerful individuals. Instead, the research provides evidence that self-control, the ability to align one’s actions with long-term goals, is a significant determinant of how powerful a person is perceived to be and the likelihood of them being entrusted with power by their peers.
The behaviors and characteristics that lead to perceptions of power in individuals are not well-understood, particularly in the context of self-control. Traditional narratives often portray powerful individuals as being impulsive or uninhibited, suggesting a pathway to power that is rooted in the freedom to act without restraint. However, this perspective overlooks the potential value of self-control.
On one hand, some theories and empirical evidence suggest that people who exhibit behaviors typically associated with power (such as assertiveness, decisiveness, and dominance) may be perceived as having lower self-control, as these behaviors could be interpreted as impulsivity or a disregard for social norms.
On the other hand, there’s a contrasting perspective that aligns self-control with power, suggesting that individuals who can regulate their behavior to achieve long-term goals may actually be seen as more powerful because they demonstrate the capacity to control both themselves and their environment to reach desired outcomes.
To evaluate the relationship between self-control and power, the researchers conducted a series of seven experiments involving approximately 3,500 participants. These participants were a diverse mix of students and working adults, ensuring a broad representation of societal perspectives.
Each experiment was structured to present participants with scenarios or interactions involving fictional or hypothetical individuals exhibiting varying degrees of self-control. For instance, one experiment had participants read about colleagues who either indulged in a large dessert, contrary to their fitness goals, or abstained, showing self-restraint. Another experiment involved participants recalling personal experiences or witnessing others’ behaviors that demonstrated either high or low self-control in achieving various goals like saving money or maintaining health.
In some experiments, participants were engaged in live interactions, offering a dynamic and real-time insight into the formation of power perceptions. These interactions allowed the researchers to simulate more closely the natural contexts in which judgments of power are made. By incorporating both theoretical scenarios and interactive components, the methodology offered a rich and varied dataset from which to draw conclusions.
The key measure across all experiments was the perceived power of individuals exhibiting different levels of self-control. Participants rated these individuals on their suitability for high-power roles, their leadership qualities, and their overall influence.
The experiments consistently demonstrated that participants viewed individuals who aligned their actions with their goals — signifying high self-control — as more powerful than those who did not and were more willing to give power to such individuals.
For example, a scenario where a colleague chose to abstain from dessert in alignment with fitness goals led participants to view them as more suitable for high-power roles, regardless of whether the abstention was a result of deliberation or an instinctive act. This suggests that the critical factor in power perception is not how quickly or slowly decisions are made but whether the actions align with one’s goals, indicating self-control.
“It did not matter whether the colleague seemed to deliberate before acting, or just acted without thinking,“ said Pamela Smith, associate professor of management at the Rady School of Management and co-author of the study. “What mattered for participants’ judgments was whether the colleague acted in line with their goals. This pattern held across a variety of goals in our experiments, including saving money, being healthy and reading books.”
Moreover, the research unveiled a nuanced layer to the concept of goal setting in the context of power perception. It was found that individuals who set ambitious goals but failed to meet them were perceived as less powerful compared to those who set more modest goals and surpassed them.
This was particularly illustrated in an experiment where participants interacted with individuals who set different reading goals. Despite reading the same amount, those who did not meet their ambitious goals were seen as less powerful and were less preferred as leaders for subsequent tasks.
“To motivate their employees, organizations often want employees to set stretch goals – goals that are challenging and hard-to-reach. However, we found that setting a stretch goal and not meeting it makes someone look less powerful than setting an easy goal and surpassing it,” said Rady School PhD student Shuang Wu, the first author of the paper.
These findings were consistent whether the target was a hypothetical person, a stranger, or a familiar colleague, highlighting the broad applicability of self-control as a key determinant of perceived power across different social and professional contexts.
Interestingly, assertiveness and competence emerged as significant mediators in the relationship between self-control and perceived power. Individuals who demonstrated high self-control were perceived as more assertive and competent. This directly influenced power conferral, as individuals who were seen as both assertive and competent are more likely to be entrusted with leadership positions or given authority.
“Our research suggests one way in which power can be achieved through inhibition and constraint: exerting self-control,” the researchers concluded. “Self-control struggles are common in everyday life, and the ability to exert high self-control is doubly beneficial, as it helps people achieve their intrapersonal goals and attain interpersonal power.”
The study, “Self-Control Signals and Affords Power,” was authored by Shuang Wu, Rachel Smallman, and Pamela K. Smith.
