Originally published by Rita Handrich.
Essentially, this is an 8-item measure you can use to determine the sense of personal power an individual believes they have. And even if you have no intention of making use of the scale, you can look at it to understand what researchers identify as the characteristics of personal power. A key factor in reaching conclusions about the validity of this scale is that the researchers found (in 5 studies with 9 separate samples and a total of 1,141 participants) that “those who think they can get their way in a group also believed that they can influence fellow group members’ attitudes and opinions”. The authors list varying instructions to be given depending on whether you are using the scale to assess one’s sense of personal power with friends, parents, groups, negotiations, and other interactions. “Personal power”, say the researchers, is not the same across all relationships and so assessing specifically for the group in which you are interested is important.
This article on scale development was published in a mainstream psychological journal and they carefully developed and carefully analyzed the variations in sense of personal power across distinct relationships. Additionally, they were interested in whether a personality factor like dominance or socioeconomic status were also related to one’s sense of personal power.
Overall, the researchers found a number of variables related to (and not related to) personal power.
Those who had higher internal locus of control (i.e., beliefs that we control our own fate) also saw themselves as having a higher power in their relationships with others.
The personal sense of power was positively related to being extraverted, being conscientious, being open to new experiences and positively related to self-esteem. A personal sense of power was negatively related to being neurotic.
“…individuals can reliably gauge their power in single discrete dyadic interactions, longer-term relationships, larger social groups, and in general, across all important relationships and groups.”
Contrary to many academically designed scales, the items on this one are both low in number (only eight items) and couched in plain language. They are placed on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Here are three questions from the scale (if you want to see all of them, go to the article itself.
Even if I voice them, my views have little sway.
I think I have a great deal of power.
My ideas and opinions are often ignored.
The remaining five items are similar in language and complexity to these. They are user-friendly and surprisingly jargon-free. Personal power and the impact it has in a group of decision-makers is interesting, and it raises additional questions. Some people with personal power are charismatic, while others are simply self-involved. Some have influence, others make people want to wring their necks. In jury selection, we consider who the leaders are likely to be, who the followers are, and whether what we can understand of the personalities and styles of jurors will produce cooperation and collaboration, or whether people will rush to judgment in an effort to get away from one another. The concepts embedded in this scale may help you make those determinations.
Anderson, C., John, O., & Keltner, D. (2012). The Personal Sense of Power. Journal of Personality, 80 (2), 313-344 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2011.00734.x
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