The relation between the powerholders' power maintaining tendency and perceived similarity

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of perceived similarity upon the power maintaining tendency of the powerholder. In advance an aptitude test was administerd to the subjects and a powerholder was to be appointed. Each subject was led to believe that he was screened and appointed as a powerholder (top-leader) from a group of five participants, Each subject was also led to believe that the subleader of the high performance group has either the similar or the dissimilar attitude toward a favorable leadership style, and was assigned to either status change condition or non status change condition. The results showed as follows. (1) Compared to the powerholders under non status change condition, the powerholders under status change condition attempted more to influence the high performance group under dissimilar condition than similar condition; (2) Regardless of the perceived similarity of the subleader, they evaluated highly their contributions to the high performance group, (3) exercised more coercive power, (4) gave more difficult tasks to the high performance group. These results were discussed in terms of the strength of power maintaining tendency of the powerholder and the conflicts originated in the experimental situation.