The effect of power on susceptibility to emotional contagion

Abstract

This study explored two questions : Do people tend to display and experience other people's emotions? If so, what impact does power have on people's susceptibility to emotional contagion? We speculated that the powerless should pay more attention to their superiors (than their superiors pay to them) and should thus be especially likely to "catch" their superiors' emotions as well . College students, given the role of "teacher" (powerful person) or "learner" (powerless person), observed videotapes of another (fictitious) subject relating an emotional experience . They were asked what emotions they felt as they watched their partner describe the happiest and saddest event in his life . In addition, they were videotaped as they watched the tape . As predicted, clear evidence of emotional contagion was obtained in this controlled laboratory setting . However, a direct (rather than inverse) relation between power and emotional contagion was found . Powerful subjects were more likely to display their subordinate's feelings than subordinates were to display those of the powerful other . Several possible explanations for these unexpected results were proposed .

The Ripple Effect: Emotional Contagion and its Influence on Group Behavior

“…Interestingly, though, in a lab experiment examining emotional contagion and dyadic power relations, Hsee et al (1990) found that the power holder was more prone to receive contagion from the subordinates than the reverse. Perhaps this is one of the ways that leaders are empowered by their followers (e.g., Barnard, 1938).…”

“…Contagion of emotions has been examined as far back as 400 B.C., when Hippocrates coined the term "hysteria" to refer to the passing of an agitated state from unmarried women to other unmarried women (Veith, 1965). Current psychological contagion research examines less dramatic yet more prevalent day-to-day contagion effects (e.g., Hsee et al, 1990;Sullins, 1991;Hatfield, Cacioppo andRapson, 1992, 1994) Emotional contagion has long been viewed as a type of social influence (Schacter, 1959: 15;Levy & Nail, 1993) that can occur at both the conscious and unconscious levels (Kelly & Barsade, 2001;Druckman & Bjork, 1994;Totterdell, 2000).…”

Cognitive mechanisms for responding to mimicry from others

“…This kind of mimicry occurs when one person unintentionally and effortlessly copies another person's posture or body movements without either one being aware (Chartrand & Lakin, 2013;Chartrand & van Baaren, 2009). Mimicry may extend to the contagion of facial expressions (Bavelas, Black, Lemery, & Mullett, 1986, 1987 Dimberg, Thunberg, & Elmehed, 2000;Hsee, Hatfield, Carlson, & Chemtob, 1990), moods (Hsee et al, 1990;Neumann & Strack, 2000) and speech (Giles & Powesland, 1975;Neumann & Strack, 2000).…”

“…In particular, a large body of research shows that people a diverse range of behaviours like facial expressions (Bavelas, Black, Lemery, & Mullett, 1986, 1987Dimberg, Thunberg, & Elmehed, 2000;Hsee, Hatfield, Carlson, & Chemtob, 1990), sniffing (Arzi, Shedlesky, Secundo, & Sobel, 2014) and speech (Giles & Powesland, 1975;Neumann & Strack, 2000), as well as overt choices (Harakeh, Engels, Van Baaren, & Scholte, 2007;Hermans et al, 2012;Quigley & Collins, 1999;Tanner et al, 2008;Webb, Eves, & Smith, 2011). It is not clear whether all of these different forms of mimicry reflect similar mechanisms or how they relate to one another.…”

Effects of damping head movement and facial expression in dyadic conversation using real–time facial expression tracking and synthesized avatars

“…Interpersonal symmetry has been reported in many contexts and across sensory modalities: for instance, patterns of speech (Cappella & Panalp 1981, Neumann & Strack 2000, facial expression (Hsee et al 1990) and laughter (Young & Frye 1966). Increased symmetry is associated with increased rapport and affinity between conversants (LaFrance 1982;Bernieri 1988).…”