权力对人际敏感性的影响

高权力还是低权力的个体更能准确地理解他人的想法和感受？这个问题在人际关系研究领域没有定论。长期以来研究者认为,高权力者的人际敏感性要弱于低权力者,但近年来这一观点受到很多的质疑。研究发现,在特定情况下,高权力者的人际敏感性可能强于低权力者。虽然目前为止两种“矛盾”的观点都有各自相应的实证结论,但缺乏理论上的系统解释。通过对当前权力与人际敏感性关系的争议进行梳理,并以权力对认知的影响为基础,结合权力通过情绪和动机的作用,整合形成权力的影响机制,不仅可以在一定程度上诠释已有的“矛盾”观点,还可以由此明确未来从个人因素和社会因素出发进一步深入研究两者关系的方向。

The influence of power on interpersonal sensitivity

Interpersonal sensitivity reflects one’s ability to understand others’ feelings and thoughts. Power is one of the factors that could influence interpersonal sensitivity. Up to now, it has been controversial to determine whether people with high power or low power could better understand the feelings or thoughts of others. People with high (vs. low) power status have long been thought to have poorer interpersonal sensitivity. The underlying reason is that people with high power (vs. low) have less willingness to understand others. However, this viewpoint has been challenged by recent findings, which suggest that people with high power tend to have stronger interpersonal sensitivity than those with low power. In some specific circumstances, power could enhance interpersonal sensitivity, such as when people with high power take an other-focused perspective or have a higher prosocial tendency, etc.