Power Motive

History

Power is a concept fundamental to human social life. Hence, the idea that people have a power drive or power motive has a long history in philosophy and psychology. The ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles wrote of “strife” as a master motive opposed to “love.” The 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche introduced the term will to power, which psychologist Alfred Adler later adapted as the striving for superiority. In his later work, Sigmund Freud postulated an aggressive or destructive instinct, whereas Henry Murray included a need for dominance in his catalog of human motives.

Measurement

In modern psychology, the power motive (also labeled “n Power”) is measured through content analysis of imaginative verbal material—typically, stories that people tell or write in response to vague or ambiguous pictures on the Thematic Apperception Test. The power motive scoring system was developed experimentally, by comparing the stories of people whose power concerns had been aroused with the stories of a control group that had no arousal experience. It was later adapted to score any kind of imaginative verbal or written material, such as fiction, political speeches, and interviews.

Characteristics

People express their need for power in a variety of different ways, often depending on other moderating variables such as social class, responsibility, or extraversion. They are drawn to careers involving direct and legitimate interpersonal power, where they can direct other people's behavior through positive and negative sanctions, within a legitimate institutional structure: for example, business executive, teacher, psychologist or mental health worker, journalist, and the clergy. They also are active members and officers in organizations.

[Page 692]Power-motivated people try to become visible and well-known. They take extreme risks and use prestige (or self-display). They are good at building alliances, especially with lower-status people who aren't wellknown, who have nothing to lose and so become a loyal base of support. In small groups, people high in power motivation tend to define the situation, encourage others to participate, and influence others; however, they are not especially well-liked, and they do not work particularly hard or offer the best ideas. As leaders, they are able to create high morale among subordinates. Political and organizational leaders high in n Power are often viewed by their associates as charismatic and judged by historians as great. In times of social stress, therefore, voters turn to them.

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