Psychology study finds self-control drives perceptions of power and leadership

A series of studies published in the Journal of Personality & Social Psychology suggests that individuals who exhibit high self-control are perceived as more powerful and are more likely to be conferred power than those with low self-control.

How self-control shapes power perception and conferral is an ongoing debate in the power literature. While low self-control, linked to disinhibition, can signal power, high self-control reflects agency through goal-directed actions and resource management, leaving it unclear which behavior observers view as a stronger indicator of power.

Power perception influences leadership preferences and resource allocation in both personal and professional settings. Observers infer power from behavioral cues like competence and assertiveness, but the connection between self-control and power is ambiguous. In this work, Shuang Wu and colleagues clarify how self-control shapes judgments of agency and power/leadership suitability.

A series of 7 studies used a combination of hypothetical scenarios, real-life recollections, and controlled experimental manipulations. Participants were recruited primarily through online platforms, with a total sample size of approximately 1,953 participants across all studies.

Study 1 examined whether participants perceived individuals with high self-control as more powerful in a group leadership context. Participants (n = 201) evaluated two hypothetical group members with contrasting levels of self-control, manipulated through their responses to New Year’s resolution prompts. One candidate demonstrated high self-control by stating they were maintaining their resolution, while the other admitted to struggling with theirs. Participants allocated leadership votes between the two candidates and rated their perceived power.

Studies 2a (n = 224) and 2b (n = 448) extended this to real-world settings, asking participants to recall incidents where colleagues exhibited high or low self-control. Study 2b added a baseline condition, where participants described a colleague’s typical behavior. Participants then rated these colleagues on power, assertiveness, competence, morality, and warmth.

Studies 3 and 4 manipulated decision speed to disentangle the effects of self-control and inhibition. Participants (n = 200 in each study) were presented with scenarios where targets demonstrated self-control either quickly or deliberately. Perceptions of power and leadership suitability were then measured.

Study 5 investigated goal alignment by presenting participants (n = 200) with scenarios where individuals performed identical actions but had different goals (aligned vs. misaligned with long-term objectives). Participants rated the targets on power and related traits.

Study 6 focused on goal ambition. Participants (n = 480) evaluated individuals who either exceeded modest goals or failed to meet ambitious ones, despite performing the same action. Ratings of perceived power and willingness to confer leadership roles were collected.

The studies consistently showed that high self-control signals power. In Study 1, participants allocated more votes to candidates demonstrating high self-control, perceiving them as more powerful and leader-like.

Studies 2a and 2b confirmed that self-control influences perceptions in real-life contexts. Recalling a high self-control incident made participants perceive colleagues as more powerful and suitable for leadership. Study 2b revealed that low self-control reduced power perceptions compared to a baseline, while high self-control elevated them.

Studies 3 and 4 showed that the effect of self-control on power perception persisted regardless of decision speed. Participants viewed high self-control as powerful whether decisions were made quickly or deliberately, highlighting that observers prioritize goal alignment over deliberative processes.

Study 5 emphasized the importance of goal alignment. Targets performing identical actions were perceived as more powerful when those actions aligned with long-term goals. This demonstrated that power perception is tied to the alignment between actions and overarching objectives.

Study 6 revealed the role of goal ambition. Individuals who exceeded modest goals were seen as more powerful than those who failed to meet ambitious goals, despite identical actions. This finding underscored that achieving goals—rather than merely setting them—drives perceptions of self-control and power.

Across all studies, perceived competence and assertiveness emerged as the strongest mediators, linking self-control to power perception and power conferral. Morality played a more limited role, directly influencing power conferral in some contexts but not consistently mediating power perception.

Overall, this research demonstrates that high self-control is a critical signal of power. Observers prioritize competence, assertiveness, and goal alignment when evaluating an individual’s suitability for leadership or influential roles.

The experimental designs may limit the generalizability of findings to real-world contexts, where relationships and histories between individuals can affect power dynamics.

The research, “Self-Control Signals and Affords Power,” was authored by Shuang Wu, Rachel Smallman, and Pamela K. Smith.