Holding onto power: effects of powerholders' positional instability and expectancies on interactions with subordinates

Abstract This study explores the effects of power, positional threat, and expectancies on interactions between powerholders and subordinates. Two hundred and forty‐two participants were randomly assigned to power role (boss or employee). Bosses were further randomly assigned to levels of positional threat (power role secure or insecure) and expectancy regarding subordinates' problem‐solving ability (negative or positive). Evidence for a self‐fulfilling prophecy was obtained, such that dyads where bosses held negative expectancies of their subordinates rated the subordinate and experience most negatively and awarded less potential prize money to the subordinates. Expectancy interacted with positional threat in a consistent manner such that the most negative effects were obtained for dyads where bosses were both positionally threatened and held negative expectancies of subordinates. Implications for theories of power are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.