Power Increases Perceptions of Others’ Choices, Leading People to Blame Others More

Abstract

Under what circumstances do people adopt a choice mindset? Three studies (two preregistered) tested whether higher power leads people to construe others as having more choice. When power was either measured (Study 1) or manipulated (Studies 2 and 3), high-power perceivers viewed others, even low-power others (Study 3), as having more choice than did low-power perceivers. Consequently, high-power individuals blamed others more for poor performance (Studies 1–3), and were more likely to punish them (Studies 1 and 2). The findings document a direct link between power and choice by showing that the psychological consequences of a choice mindset (i.e., greater blame) can be evoked by power and that effects of power (e.g., on blame) can be mediated by perceptions of choice.

Reckless spreader or blameless victim? How vaccination status affects responses to COVID-19 patients

“…The finding contributes to a growing body of research, which shows that characteristics of the respondent as well as situational differences can influence the attribution of responsibility. While early research has mainly focused on differences in attribution, for example, between men and women (e.g., Crittenden and Wiley, 1980 ) or people of different ages ( Fincham and Jaspars, 1979 ), fewer studies have investigated how individual and situational differences shape the attribution of responsibility (e.g., Yin et al, 2022 ). Like Yin et al (2022) who found that people's level of power determines how much responsibility they attribute to underperforming individuals, our findings show that respondents' vaccination status impacts attribution.…”

“…While early research has mainly focused on differences in attribution, for example, between men and women (e.g., Crittenden and Wiley, 1980 ) or people of different ages ( Fincham and Jaspars, 1979 ), fewer studies have investigated how individual and situational differences shape the attribution of responsibility (e.g., Yin et al, 2022 ). Like Yin et al (2022) who found that people's level of power determines how much responsibility they attribute to underperforming individuals, our findings show that respondents' vaccination status impacts attribution. Specifically, we find that people who are vaccinated make different attributions based on the vaccination status of the person in need of help (i.e., COVID-19 patient), but people who are not vaccinated make similar attributions regardless of the patient's vaccination status.…”

“…However, we can only speculate why we find differences in attribution between vaccinated and unvaccinated respondents. For example, Yin et al (2022) found that high-power (vs. low-power) people viewed others as having more choice, which explained why they attributed greater blame for poor performance. In our context, one simple explanation might be that unvaccinated people do not believe in the effectiveness of the vaccine, in which case falling ill from or spreading COVID-19 might seem like uncontrollable events, irrespective of vaccination status of the patient or spreader.…”

“…However, few studies have investigated how respondents’ situational or individual differences influence their attribution of responsibility. A recent study by Yin et al (2022) constitutes a notable exception. Their study shows that respondents who were high in power misperceived others (even low-power others) as having more choice, which resulted in high-power respondents assigning more blame to others for poor performance, as well as in a greater desire for punishment ( Yin et al, 2022 , p. 170).…”

“…A recent study by Yin et al (2022) constitutes a notable exception. Their study shows that respondents who were high in power misperceived others (even low-power others) as having more choice, which resulted in high-power respondents assigning more blame to others for poor performance, as well as in a greater desire for punishment ( Yin et al, 2022 , p. 170). Similarly, people who have opted for the vaccine (vs. unvaccinated) may feel more strongly that contracting or spreading COVID-19 are preventable events, which are due to personal choice of getting vaccinated.…”