The influence of powerlessness on thought and behavior in organizations

The research project investigates how being in a position of powerlessness affects individuals’ cognition and behavior in organizational contexts, and integrates theoretical thinking at the intersection of management research (negotiations), behavioral decision theory (judgmental biases and anchoring), and social psychology (power and hierarchy). Specifically, the project examines whether negotiating with one or multiple alternatives leads to better outcomes at the bargaining table, how negotiators in a position of powerlessness can still negotiate effectively without having strong alternatives, and whether the way social power has been manipulated in previous experimental research can lead to biased inferences about the effects of powerlessness on thought and behavior.