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PowerDependence Theory

Powerdependence theory is a structural theory about power in enduring relationships. It describes how individuals' reliance on others for valued resources determines the distribution of power in relationships. Powerdependence theory represents a major shift in the way sociologists think about power. Many earlier theories about power view it as a trait or property of an actor. Power dependence theory treats power as a characteristic of a relationship and thus focuses on the relationship rather than on the individuals involved in the relationship.

Powerdependence theory was developed by the sociologist Richard Emerson in the 1960s. Power dependence theory builds on earlier work in sociology by George Homans and Peter Blau and in psychology by John Thibaut and Harold Kelley. Powerdependence theory, together with the earlier work, forms the basis of social exchange theory, one of the major sociological social-psychological traditions.

Definitions, Assumptions, and Postulates

Powerdependence theory posits that actors in social relations are dependent on each other to meet certain goals or needs. In an exchange relation, the dependence of one actor on another is determined by the ratio of how much the actor values the resources controlled by the partner to the number of alternative sources the actor has for those resources (resource value vs. resource availability). Power is defined as the potential of one actor to obtain favorable outcomes in an exchange episode at another actor's expense. In an exchange relationship, the first actor has power over the second actor insofar as the first actor controls resources that the second actor values. Power, then, is clearly related to the dependence of the actors on one another. The key postulate of power dependence theory is that the power of A over B is equal to the dependence of B on A (Pab = Dba). Therefore, as A's power over B increases, so does B's dependence on A.

Powerdependence theory has four key assumptions that allow predictions to be made about the behavior of individuals involved in exchange. First, an individual's behavior is motivated by the desire to increase gain and to avoid loss of valued resources. Second, exchange relations develop in structures of mutual dependence. This means that both parties have some reason to engage in exchange with each other to obtain resources of value; otherwise there would be no need to form an exchange relation. Third, actors engage in recurrent, mutually contingent exchanges with specific partners over time (i.e., they are not engaged in simple one-shot transactions). Last, valued outcomes obey the law of diminishing marginal utility, meaning that after a certain point, each additional resource is of less value.

Expansion Beyond the Dyad

Most interactions between individuals are not isolated. Instead, most social relations are embedded in larger social networks. In his structural theory of power, Richard Emerson expanded his theorizing to larger networks. For Emerson, the structure of the network, or how individuals are connected to each other and the availability of resources across the network, are vital factors necessary to understand power dynamics within a network. In Emerson's terms, networks are composed of relations that are interconnected, so exchange in one relationship affects interaction in other relationships within the network. These connections can be either negative or positive. Connections are termed negative if exchange in one relation reduces the frequency of exchange in another relation involving one of the original actors. For example, it is a negative connection if exchange in the focal relationship, AB, reduces the likelihood of exchange in an alternate relationship between A and C. Conversely, connections are termed positive if exchange in one relation increases the frequency of exchange in another relation involving one of the original actors. In the prior example, a connection is positive if exchange in the AB relationship increases the amount of exchange in the AC relationship. In addition, networks can include mixed connections, which involve both positive and negative connections.

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