Abstract
Eight studies found a robust negative relationship between the experience of power and the experience of loneliness. Dispositional power and loneliness were negatively correlated (Study 1). Experimental inductions established causality: we manipulated high versus low power through autobiographical essays, assignment to positions, or control over resources, and found that each manipulation showed that high versus low power decreased loneliness (Studies 2a-2c). We also demonstrated both that low power can increase loneliness and that high power can decrease loneliness by comparing these conditions to a baseline condition (Studies 3-4, 6). Furthermore, we establish a key mechanism that explains this effect, demonstrating that the need to belong mediates the effect of power on loneliness (Studies 5-6). These findings help explain some effects of power on social cognition, offer insights into organizational well-being and motivation, and speak to the fundamental question of whether it is "lonely at the top" or lonelier at the bottom.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 69-78 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes |
| Volume | 130 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2015 |
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Keywords
- Leadership
- Loneliness
- Power
- Social processes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Applied Psychology
- Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
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Not so lonely at the top : The relationship between power and loneliness. / Waytz, Adam; Chou, Eileen Y.; Magee, Joe C.; Galinsky, Adam D.
In: Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Vol. 130, 01.09.2015, p. 69-78.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Not so lonely at the top
T2 - The relationship between power and loneliness
AU - Waytz, Adam
AU - Chou, Eileen Y.
AU - Magee, Joe C.
AU - Galinsky, Adam D.
PY - 2015/9/1
Y1 - 2015/9/1
N2 - Eight studies found a robust negative relationship between the experience of power and the experience of loneliness. Dispositional power and loneliness were negatively correlated (Study 1). Experimental inductions established causality: we manipulated high versus low power through autobiographical essays, assignment to positions, or control over resources, and found that each manipulation showed that high versus low power decreased loneliness (Studies 2a-2c). We also demonstrated both that low power can increase loneliness and that high power can decrease loneliness by comparing these conditions to a baseline condition (Studies 3-4, 6). Furthermore, we establish a key mechanism that explains this effect, demonstrating that the need to belong mediates the effect of power on loneliness (Studies 5-6). These findings help explain some effects of power on social cognition, offer insights into organizational well-being and motivation, and speak to the fundamental question of whether it is "lonely at the top" or lonelier at the bottom.
AB - Eight studies found a robust negative relationship between the experience of power and the experience of loneliness. Dispositional power and loneliness were negatively correlated (Study 1). Experimental inductions established causality: we manipulated high versus low power through autobiographical essays, assignment to positions, or control over resources, and found that each manipulation showed that high versus low power decreased loneliness (Studies 2a-2c). We also demonstrated both that low power can increase loneliness and that high power can decrease loneliness by comparing these conditions to a baseline condition (Studies 3-4, 6). Furthermore, we establish a key mechanism that explains this effect, demonstrating that the need to belong mediates the effect of power on loneliness (Studies 5-6). These findings help explain some effects of power on social cognition, offer insights into organizational well-being and motivation, and speak to the fundamental question of whether it is "lonely at the top" or lonelier at the bottom.
KW - Leadership
KW - Loneliness
KW - Power
KW - Social processes
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84936791598&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84936791598&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.obhdp.2015.06.002
DO - 10.1016/j.obhdp.2015.06.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84936791598
VL - 130
SP - 69
EP - 78
JO - Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
JF - Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
SN - 0749-5978
ER -