Power and Perception in Networks

University South Carolina Research Foundation, Columbia SC

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT Do high-power or low-power persons have more accurate perceptions of who is tied to whom in their networks? And how does perceptual accuracy affect power use in networks and organizations? Previous work in sociology and related disciplines has led to divergent explanations of how social structures affect the accuracy of perceptions of who has ties with whom. This research aims to account for prior divergent findings, and to yield insight into the relationship between power and perception. We begin with a new theory of power and perception for a well-understood class of networks: those in which ties between actors represent opportunities for profitable exchange. An important feature of the new theory and the proposed research is that they address both causal directions, i.e., how power affects perception and how perceptual accuracy, in turn, affects power use. The first set of studies tests our "Dependence - Perception" theory that explains why low-power actors have more accurate network perceptions than high-power actors. The second set of studies tests an extension of the Dependence - Perception theory, which addresses the return path: how perceptual accuracy moderates the effects of power potential on power use. The theory suggests that, under specified conditions, perceptual accuracy is beneficial to occupants of low-power positions, but not to occupants of high-power positions. Broader Impacts: There are a number of practical reasons to increase our understanding of the links between power and perception in networks. Networks are ubiquitous in social life, from formal organizations to affiliation ties among members of families and friendship circles. With access to resources at stake--whether money, friendship, information, or other valued goods--the accuracy of network perceptions can affect the experiences of all incumbents. For example, if power negatively impacts network perception, as our theory suggests, we should expect low-power actors to capitalize on this relationship by acting individually or collectively to improve their power. However, if a competing argument is correct and power positively impacts perceptual accuracy, we might expect those high in power to exploit their more accurate perceptions to maintain or strengthen their advantage. Thus, the proposed research should go beyond the mere clarification of theoretical puzzles: It holds further promise for understanding the persistence and transformation of real-world inequalities. The results of this research will be disseminated through academic journals and, where appropriate, other media. Such publications should help to increase understanding and appreciation for experimentally testing basic theories in sociology, and for illustrating the potential applicability of abstract theory to a wide range of real-world cases.