Doctoral Dissertation Research: Compensators and Coercion in Systems of Exchange

University Of South Carolina At Columbia, Columbia SC

Investigators

Abstract

This project examines the role of compensation and coercion in relationships that involve exchange of social goods among actors. Whereas compensation is the promise of a positive reward to be delivered in the future, coercion is the promise of impending punishment. According to theories of the relationships between religious leaders and followers, and theories of power in exchange relationships, the ability of person A in a dyad to use compensation or coercion in dealing with person B will increase the exchange payoff for person A. For example, control over a generalized reward (such as Heaven) or a punishment (such as Hell) gives power to one person over another. However, the two forms of control may differ in the power they generate and the timing of the emergence of that power. This project uses data from a laboratory experiment to compare the effects of compensation and coercion for power differences in systems of exchange. In the experiment, subjects in separate rooms negotiate through connected PCs. In the negotiations, the subjects vary according to their position in the exchange relationship, and their ability to use compensation or coercion, which in turn affect the payoffs the subjects receive in the exchange. In addition to contributing to the general understanding of how people interact with one another in exchange relationships, the results offer insights into relationships between religious leaders and followers.