Are People New to Power More Vengeful?

Could people new to power be more vengeful when placed in charge?

According to researchers from the University of Adelaide, Australia, and the University of Kent, they explored the relationship between power and revenge--a concept that has been rarely examined in scientific findings.

They concluded that revenge and other acts of aggression are more likely to cause individuals new to positions of power to feel more vulnerable to threats and increased pressure that may cause them to exercise these new freedoms.

The study authors looked at 500 participants who were drawn from student populations and the general population. The base for their conclusions were determined via a series of four experimental studies in the United Kingdom and Australia that showed their response to different transgressions of plagiarism, negligence, gossiping and drunken violent offence.

After all four cases, researchers concluded with the following: Individuals not accustomed to having power looked to more revenge than self-assured individuals who had previously exercised power. Yet there was no difference in vengefulness shown in the groups who were not exposed to power or who experienced brief episodes of powerlessness.

"Our results provide a firm indication of the relationship between power and revenge," Dr. Marko Weick said, via a press release. Weick of Kent's School of Psychology co-led the study with Dr. Peter Strelan. "Our studies highlight some of the negative effects power can have on people who are less accustomed to being in charge."

More information regarding the study can be found via the British Journal of Social Psychology.