The Effects of Power Priming on Moral Decision-Making: An Experimental Study

• Grant number: 24/22413-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Experimental Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Gabriel Gaudencio Do Rêgo
• Grantee: Lorenzo Fantazzini Reichter
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM). Instituto Presbiteriano Mackenzie. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Power emerges from the asymmetric control of valuable resources and the administration of punishments and rewards. Individuals in positions of power tend to pursue rewards aligned with their individual goals, adjusting their attention according to environmental demands. These demands often arise from interactions with subordinates, mediated by two psychological processes: social distancing and heuristic processing. An increased sense of personal power and reduced sensitivity to subordinates' needs often lead individuals in positions of power to perceive lower hierarchical ranks through stereotypes and engage with them instrumentally. However, gaps remain regarding how power influences moral decisions, especially in dilemmas that vary in terms of personal involvement, degree of contact with the victim, and inclusion in the outcomes of the action. The overall objective of this project is to investigate the influence of the sense of personal power on moral decision-making. The study will be conducted in person and will involve manipulating the personal sense of power (high, low, and neutral conditions) through recall priming. This procedure will require participants to write about situations where they were either in control or under someone else's control, followed by a resource allocation task to reinforce the power experience. After the experimental manipulation, participants will respond to moral dilemmas to assess their moral decision-making. Data will be analyzed using ANCOVA to identify differences between conditions and explore potential moderating effects of individual characteristics and political ideology. (AU)