Session 9 - Power/ Influence

Question 1

What is power?

Answer 1

ability to exercise influence

Question 2

What is influence?

Answer 2

ability to bring about change

Question 3

What is change?

Answer 3

refers to alteration of behaviors, opinions, attitudes, goald, needs etc. of the person’s psychological field

Question 4

what is the bases for power?

Answer 4

The phenomena of power and influence involve a dyadic relation between two agents
1. What determines the behavior of the agent who exerts power?
2. What determines the reactions of the recipient of this behavior?

Question 5

What are the five types of power?

Answer 5

reward
coercive
legitimate

referent
expert

Question 6

What is reward power?

Answer 6

It depends on O’s ability to administer positive valences and to remove negative valences

The utilization of actual rewards (instead of promises) by O will tend over time to increase the referent power of O over P

The range of reward power is specific to those regions within which O can reward P for conforming

Question 7

What is coercive power?

Answer 7

This power stems from the expectation of P that he will be punished by O if he fails to conform to the influence attempt

Coercive power leads to dependent change

Reward power will tend to increase the attraction of P toward O; coercive power will decrease this attraction

Question 8

What is legitimate power?

Answer 8

This power stems from internalized values in P which dictate that:
- O has a legitimate right to influence P
- P has an obligation to accept this influence

Bases for legitimate power
- Cultural values
- Acceptance of the social structure
- Designation by a legitimizing agent

Range of legitimate power of O/P

• Areas in which legitimate power may be exercised are specified along with the designation of that power
• The use of legitimate power which is outside the range of legitimate power will decrease the power of the authority figure

Question 9

what is referent power?

Answer 9

The referent power of O/P has its basis in the identification of P with O
A feeling of oneness of P with O

O has the ability to influence P, even though P may be unaware of this referent power

Question 10

What is expert power?

Answer 10

The strength of the expert power of O/P varies with the extent of the knowledge or perception which P attributes to O within a given area

The range of expert power is more delimited than that of referent power
The expert is seen as having superior knowledge or ability in very specific areas

Question 11

What are the two sources of power?

Answer 11

1. position power (derived from one’s position and status within the organization)
2. personal power (derived from one’s personal characteristics, relationship with others, and behavior towards others)

Question 12

What are the four informal sources of position power?

Answer 12

1. relevance
   - positions have more power if they are closely aligned with the corporate priorities
2. autonomy
   - the more freedom to make choices, the more power (but here is circularity)
3. centrality
   - central positions have access to resources (“gatekeeper”)
4. visibility
   - the more visible a person is within an organization the more power they have (bathroom office)

Question 13

What are the three outcomes of influence attempts?

Answer 13

1. commitment: a strong positive response
2. compliance: completion of request (target does not necessarily want to, but obeys anyway)
3. Resistance: a strong negative response

Question 14

What is a principle (m.B.a. influences)?

Answer 14

what’s going on inside the a person’s head that causes him/her to be influenced by the influencer
“WHAT”

Question 15

What are tactics (m.B.a. influence)?

Answer 15

the things an influencer says or does to influence another person(s).
“HOW”

Question 16

what are the six principles of influence?

Answer 16

1. social proof
2. liking
3. reciprocity
4. commitment & consistency
5. authority
6. scarcity

Question 17

What is social proof? Why can it influence someone?

Answer 17

We figure out what we think by figuring out what others think

Question 18

What two biases underlie social proof? When is which one experienced?

Answer 18

1. Uncertainty -> informational bias (reviews, ratings, restaurants)
2. Certainty -> normative bias
   (peer pressure: drinking, smoking etc.)

Question 19

What are the outcomes of either bias?

Answer 19

1. Informational bias -> private acceptance
2. Normative bias -> public conformative, but not private acceptance

Question 20

what three group characteristics influence normative conformaty?

Answer 20

1. group size (conformity rises to 4, then levels)
2. group unanimity = Einstimmigkeit (conformity drops with even one abweicher)
3. Group expertise (conformatiy rises when majority are experts)

Question 21

How can you use social proof for influencing? (tactics)

Answer 21

1. form a coalition (in meetings, ask the person you know will vote for you to say their feedback/ answer first)
2. Use peer pressure

Question 22

What are determinants of liking?

Answer 22

Being liked
- Ingratiation, praise
Proximity
Familiarity
- Mere exposure effect (Zajonc, 1968)
Similarity
- Doesn’t need to be significant

Question 23

How can you use liking to influence people (tactics)?

Answer 23

Be complimentary
- To evoke liking from the other person

Research and then highlight similarities – no matter how insignificant or tangential
- Common interests, friends, enemies

Question 24

What is reciprocity?

Answer 24

Requester has made a concession, so recipient feels pressured to reciprocate with his/her own concession

Question 25

How can you use the reciprocity principle?

Answer 25

“Door in the face” (rejection-then-retreat) tactic
- Ask for a large favor that will be rejected
- Ask for smaller favor that you really wanted

If you have two proposals, present the most ambitious one first
- When you retreat, you have made a concession
- A “no” is a moment of opportunity

Set the tone of your relationships
- Make an initial gesture of goodwill

Question 26

What is the commitment and consistency principle? Why does it work?

Answer 26

Most people desire to be consistent in their words, beliefs, attitudes, and deeds

–> After committing to a position, people are more likely to say yes to requests that are consistent with their original position

Question 27

What is a tactic for the commitment principle?

Answer 27

Foot in the door:

Instead of making statements, ask questions to get initial agreement from others
- “Do you care about the environment? / Will you sign this petition to save the environment?Would you be willing to give money to…?

Get written or verbal confirmation to your questions

Question 28

When is commitment most effective?

Answer 28

When it is public

Question 29

Why does the authority princple work?

Answer 29

We believe the experts
- “Experts are usually correct” heuristic
- Identical message is more persuasive when attributed to an expert

• The best experts are knowledgeable AND trustworthy

Question 30

How can you best signal expertise and use the authority principle?

Answer 30

status makers such as titles, dresses, cars, speech styles (e.g., doctor coat)
–> Do not assume people are aware of your expertise, demonstrate it to them

Question 31

What are tactics of the authority principle?

Answer 31

Be Trustworthy
- Present weaknesses in your argument first, then strengths
- Cite neutral, expert sources
“A study by Harvard doctors showed that…

Be Knowledgeable
- Be prepared and confident
- Have answers ready for common questions or objections
- Use multiple data points to support critical propositions

Question 32

What is the scarcity principle for influence?

Answer 32

We want what we can’t have…

Question 33

How can you use scarcity for influencing?

Answer 33

• frame your offer as a one-of-a-kind opportunity
• use credible deadlines (if your sushi is always 50% off, it doesn’t work, make it scarce)
• create urgency

Question 34

Now high-level: how to use each principles? (tactics for each in one sentence)

Answer 34