The Spatial Power Motivation Scale: A Semi-Implicit Measure of Situational Power Motivation |
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| Authors: | Christiane Schoel Katharina Zimmer Dagmar Stahlberg |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Social Psychology, School of Social SciencesUniversity of Mannheim, Germanycschoel@rumms.uni-mannheim.de;3. Department of Microsociology and Social Psychology, School of Social SciencesUniversity of Mannheim, Germany;4. Department of Social Psychology, School of Social SciencesUniversity of Mannheim, Germany |
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| Abstract: | We introduce a new nonverbal and unobtrusive measure to assess power motive activation, the Spatial Power Motivation Scale (SPMS). The unique features of this instrument are that it is (a) very simple and economical, (b) reliable and valid, and (c) sensitive to situational changes. Study 1 demonstrates the instrument's convergent and discriminant validity with explicit measures. Study 2 demonstrates the instrument's responsiveness to situational power motive salience: anticipating and winning competition versus losing competition and watching television. Studies 3 and 4 demonstrate that thoughts of competition result in higher power motivation specifically for individuals with a high dispositional power motive. |
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