Social Power Theory

• Social Power : the ability to achieve goals even if other people oppose those goals. All societies are built on some form of power, and this power typically resides within the government; however, some governments in the world exercise their power through force, which is not legitimate.
• types of social power :

  • Reward Power
  • Coercive Power
  • Referent Power
  • Legitimate Power
  • Expert Power
• reward power : Reward Power is the ability to give rewards when others comply with your wishes. This may not work from one setting to the next. For example, an employee might laugh at a boss’s joke, but the boss’s neighbor might not.
• coercive power : It’s the ability to deliver punishments. | While coercion can be effective in the short-term, it creates resentment and individuals will try to end the relationship
• referent power : Role Models | a person identifies with another person thus behavior is modeled |  Groups can also be a reference model and provide standards and norms of behavior, for example, social or peer pressure. It’s also possible to have negative reference groups. In this case, you want to avoid being like the group, and you modify your behavior to feel less similar to the group.
• legitimate power : Legitimate Power is power that comes from a position or role. It’s positional authority. |  For example, you "should" or "ought" to listen to your parents, or your boss. The unique aspect of legitimate power is that it’s not about rational arguments — the power comes from the position or role. |  Also, the role can be more important than the individual. For example, presidents may come and go, but the role is always a powerful one.
• expert power : "Knowledge is power." Expert Power is where expertise or knowledge is the source of power. | This is where credentials, awards, and know-how play a role. You end up deferring to greater knowledge for the area of expertise, such as a doctor or mechanic. It’s limited to the area of expertise. For example, you won’t ask your doctor for advice on your car, just because they are a skilled physician.