What is a key difference between structural and psychological power?
A
Structural power refers to influence over one's own mindset, while psychological power refers to influence over others
B
Structural power is granted by position; psychological power is a subjective feeling
C
Structural power is always positive; psychological power is negative
D
Structural power involves charisma; psychological power involves authority
Correct Answer: B
A: Incorrect — This reverses the definitions.
B: Correct — Structural power is tied to position, while psychological power is how powerful one feels.
C: Incorrect — Neither form is inherently positive or negative.
D: Incorrect — Charisma is associated with referent power, not structural.
Q2
Why is power considered a “fundamental concept” in social science?
A
Because it always leads to positive change
B
Because it creates hierarchy in all organizations
C
Because it explains asymmetrical control in relationships
D
Because it makes people more efficient
Correct Answer: C
A: Incorrect — Power can lead to both positive and negative outcomes.
B: Incorrect — Hierarchies are one expression of power but not its definition.
C: Correct — Power explains how individuals and groups can control others.
D: Incorrect — Efficiency is not the defining feature of power.
Q3
Which of the following best exemplifies referent power?
A
A manager who withholds bonuses from underperforming staff
B
A leader admired for their personal charisma and integrity
C
A professor with deep technical expertise in a niche field
D
A supervisor who delegates tasks based on organizational rank
Correct Answer: B
A: Incorrect — This is coercive or reward power.
B: Correct — Referent power comes from personal qualities and admiration.
C: Incorrect — That’s expert power.
D: Incorrect — This reflects legitimate power.
Q4
Expert power is different from legitimate power in that:
A
Expert power is rooted in one’s formal title
B
Expert power can be given instantly upon hiring
C
Expert power is earned through knowledge and skill
D
Expert power has no influence on behavior
Correct Answer: C
A: Incorrect — That describes legitimate power.
B: Incorrect — Expertise is built over time, not granted.
C: Correct — It reflects recognized expertise.
D: Incorrect — Expert power strongly influences behavior.
Q5
What was the key error in WHO’s communication about COVID-19, as it relates to expert power?
A
It failed to appeal to political leaders
B
It downplayed the importance of vaccinations
C
It misused its expert status by denying airborne transmission
D
It didn’t engage with enough stakeholders
Correct Answer: C
A: Incorrect — The error was scientific, not political.
B: Incorrect — The issue was airborne transmission, not vaccines.
C: Correct — The WHO’s premature denial harmed its expert credibility.
D: Incorrect — The problem was misinformation, not engagement level.
Q6
Why might a group reward system be demotivating?
A
It leads to too much competition
B
It promotes hierarchy over fairness
C
It may reward free riders, triggering the sucker effect
D
It focuses only on extrinsic motivation
Correct Answer: C
A: Incorrect — Group rewards usually reduce competition.
B: Incorrect — This is more about fairness than hierarchy.
C: Correct — Unfair group rewards lead to decreased motivation.
D: Incorrect — Although extrinsic motivation is less effective, the core issue is fairness.
Q7
What kind of power does a school principal use when they praise a teacher in public?
A
Coercive power
B
Expert power
C
Reward power
D
Referent power
Correct Answer: C
A: Incorrect — Coercive power involves punishment, not praise.
B: Incorrect — This isn't based on expertise.
C: Correct — Public praise is a form of non-monetary reward.
D: Incorrect — The teacher may admire the principal, but the act is a reward.
Q8
Which statement best reflects the role of power in leadership?
A
Power is unnecessary when there’s trust
B
Power enables leaders to influence others toward shared goals
C
Power is mostly a structural barrier to collaboration
D
Power is only relevant in government, not organizations
Correct Answer: B
A: Incorrect — Trust does not eliminate the role of power.
B: Correct — Leadership is influence, and power makes influence possible.
C: Incorrect — This reflects a cynical view not supported by the lecture.
D: Incorrect — Power is present in all organizations.
Q9
What is one reason people resist transparency in organizations?
A
Transparency lowers productivity
B
Transparency removes information power
C
Transparency weakens coercive strategies
D
Transparency increases reward costs
Correct Answer: B
A: Incorrect — No evidence is given for this claim.
B: Correct — Withholding information can preserve influence.
C: Incorrect — Coercive power is about punishment, not information.
D: Incorrect — The issue isn’t financial.
Q10
What does the "sucker effect" describe?
A
The tendency to obey charismatic leaders
B
Withholding effort when others receive unfair rewards
C
A drop in expert credibility after a mistake
D
Emotional manipulation by people in power
Correct Answer: B
A: Incorrect — That relates to referent power.
B: Correct — People reduce their effort to avoid exploitation.
C: Incorrect — That’s expert power erosion.
D: Incorrect — This is not the definition provided.
Q11
Which best describes coercive power?
A
The use of punishment to stop unwanted behaviors
B
Power given to those with moral integrity
C
The ability to reward others fairly
D
Respect earned through emotional intelligence
Correct Answer: A
A: Correct — Coercive power relies on fear of punishment.
B: Incorrect — This is closer to referent power.
C: Incorrect — That's reward power.
D: Incorrect — Not related to coercive power.
Q12
How can information power be used manipulatively?
A
By being transparent in meetings
B
By publicly sharing data
C
By restricting access between teams
D
By increasing expert training
Correct Answer: C
A: Incorrect — Transparency is not manipulative.
B: Incorrect — Sharing data spreads power.
C: Correct — Withholding info across groups preserves control.
D: Incorrect — That boosts expert power, not information control.
Q13
What does the infant study suggest about power?
A
Infants ignore power differences until age five
B
Infants only fear loud voices, not actions
C
Infants distinguish between leader and bully power
D
Infants prefer reward-based interactions
Correct Answer: C
A: Incorrect — The study was done on 21-month-olds.
B: Incorrect — The research was about perceived power, not noise.
C: Correct — They recognized enduring influence of leaders.
D: Incorrect — This was not tested.
Q14
What can diminish a leader’s expert power?
A
Delegating responsibility
B
Admitting uncertainty
C
Offering incorrect advice
D
Using reward power too often
Correct Answer: C
A: Incorrect — Delegation isn’t a power loss.
B: Incorrect — Transparency can increase credibility.
C: Correct — Being wrong reduces perceived expertise.
D: Incorrect — Using rewards may affect other dynamics but not expert power.
Q15
What is a positional source of power?
A
A person’s innate drive to lead
B
Influence from being liked
C
Power derived from organizational roles
D
Skills and talents earned over time
Correct Answer: C
A: Incorrect — This is closer to implicit motives.
B: Incorrect — That’s referent power.
C: Correct — Positional sources include legitimate, reward, and coercive power.
D: Incorrect — Those describe expert power.
Application Questions
Application Q1
Reflect on the types of power you currently hold in your organization.
Which sources are structural/positional (legitimate, reward, coercive)?
Which are personal (referent, expert)?
How do these sources shape the ways you influence others in your role?
Application Q2
Recall a situation where one individual’s subjective sense of power dominated a group dynamic.
How did this shape your own behavior and willingness to contribute?
What parallels can you draw to power dynamics in your research context?
Application Q3
How might these two personal sources of power appear in your dissertation context?
Where would you expect to see referent power (charisma, respect)?
Where would you expect to see expert power (knowledge, skill)?
How might their effects differ on decision-making?
Application Q4
If your study includes the construct of power, how would you examine:
the effects of abusing positional power (e.g., coercion, favoritism), or
the erosion of expert credibility when advice proves unreliable?
Application Q5
How would you assess whether legitimate power in your setting is operating as intended?
What indicators show that authority is accepted as rightful?
What evidence would suggest misuse or resistance?
Application Q6
Describe a case in your professional setting where reward power produced unintended consequences (e.g., free rider problem, sucker effect).
How would you redesign the reward system to align with intrinsic motivation?
Application Q7
How can the construct of coercive power illuminate leadership behaviors in your study?
What observable behaviors indicate coercion?
What short- and long-term impacts might follow?
Application Q8
Who controls critical information in your research context, and how does that shape group decisions?
Does information sharing foster transparency and trust, or withholding preserve leverage and influence?
Application Q9
What role does transparency play in your study setting?
WHow could you measure it (e.g., access, clarity, timeliness of communication)?
How might transparency, or its absence, reshape perceptions of power?
Application Q10
Apply findings from infant studies distinguishing leader power (respect-based) and bully power (fear-based).
Can you identify similar distinctions in your research setting?
How might you trace these through behavior or outcomes?
Application Q11
If your dissertation examines leadership effectiveness, how could you integrate multiple sources of power into your theoretical framework?
Which sources are most central to your context?
How would you test their influence?
Application Q12
Have you experienced the “sucker effect” in group work?
How could your research design capture its role in team performance?
What measures would suggest whether rewards unintentionally demotivate contributors?
Application Q13
How might you operationalize psychological power in a survey or interview?
What kinds of questions would elicit subjective feelings of power?
How would you validate that responses reflect unconscious states rather than self-presentation?
Application Q14
Consider a controversial or unpopular policy in your study context.
How do different power sources (legitimate, reward, coercive, referent, expert) shape compliance or resistance?
Application Q15
How could your research trace the relationship between expert power and trust?
What indicators reflect expert credibility?
How might you measure the erosion or strengthening of trust?
Application Q16
Reflect on how hierarchical structure supports or hinders organizational goals.
How could your research design test whether hierarchy facilitates or obstructs performance?
How could those motives shape organizational outcomes?
Application Q17
Design a short vignette based on your dissertation topic that could surface participants’ perceptions of power.
What situation would you describe?
What power cues (rewards, punishments, information control, charisma) would you build in?
Application Q18
How might leaders in your study context balance reward and coercive power to sustain long-term motivation?
What balance would be most effective?
Which outcomes would you track?
Application Q19
If you were to propose a sixth power dimension beyond French & Raven’s classic five, what would it be (e.g., digital power, network power)?
Why is it important in your dissertation context?
How would you justify its inclusion theoretically?
Application Q20
If you were to add a sixth power dimension beyond the classic five, what would it be and how would you justify its relevance to your dissertation research context?
Which behaviors or decisions might indicate unconscious needs for influence?
How could those motives shape organizational outcomes?
