The Effects of Power on Altruistic Behavior: Under Different Relationship Orientation

Abstract

Abstract: The present study examines the impact of power and relationship orientation on altruistic behavior in a dictator game(DG)situation. 180 subjects(91 females)from two survey websites were recruited to participate in the present study. All participants fulfilled first the scale of relationship orientation, then they were randomly assigned to the low-power and high-power prime conditions. After the power priming procedure, all participants completed a DG in which they were asked to make a decision about a benefit distribution, from which the degree of altruistic behavior were measured. The results indicated that low-power group gave more money in DG, however, only for those persons who were in low-power condition and adopted communal orientation were more likely to give more money than the other subjects in low-power group. This result suggests that people with the communal relationship orientation and in low-power condition will exhibit more altruistic behavior.

Key words: altruistic behavior, power, relationship orientation, communal relationship orientation, exchange relationship orientation.

摘要： 考察了在独裁者博弈中，权力感和人际关系取向对利他行为的影响。从调查网站征集了180名被试，随机分为两组，首先对被试进行了人际关系取向的调查，再对两组被试分别启动高、低权力感，最后让被试在独裁者博弈中做出利益分配的决策，被试分给搭档的数额可以反映其利他行为的程度。结果显示，低权力组给出数额更多，且只有低权力的共享被试给出数额更多。因此得出结论，只有共享取向的人在低权力情境才会更利他。

关键词: 利他行为, 权力感, 人际关系取向, 共享取向, 交易取向。

CLC Number:

B849

Wang Yao, Li Xiaoping. The Effects of Power on Altruistic Behavior: Under Different Relationship Orientation[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2015, 13(4): 516-520.

王垚, 李小平. 不同人际关系取向下的权力对利他行为的影响[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2015, 13(4): 516-520.

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