Why people resort to coercion: The role of utility and legitimacy

B.M. van Knippenberg, D. van Knippenberg, D. de Cremer

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    Abstract

    This study focuses on why people may resort to coercive tactics. We tested the proposition that considerations of utility and legitimacy mediate effects of a powerholder's competence and reward structure on the use of coercion. Results showed that in general coercive tactics are employed less often than softer tactics, that coercive tactics are used more by more competent individuals than by less competent individuals, and that coercive tactics are used more often when the revenues of task performance benefited the agent of power than when they benefited both agent and target or when they benefited the target solely. Results identified perceived utility and perceived legitimacy as mediators of the decision to coerce the other or not. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)276-287
    JournalEuropean Journal of Social Psychology
    Volume37
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2007

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