Power, status, and social judgment

Power (reflecting control over resources and the capacity to influence others through reward and punishment) and status (reflecting the capacity to influence others through respect and admiration) both represent central aspects of social hierarchy and both exert important influences on social judgment. This article reviews recent evidence regarding the effects power and status have on social judgment. In reviewing that evidence, we focus on the enhanced goal pursuit and social distance experienced by those with power, and on the need to be alert for signs of social disapproval among those high in status. The paper also reviews factors that influence perceptions of power and status, focusing on ways in which stereotypes about power and status might inform the way people perceive power and status in others.