Anderson Cameron, Kilduff Gavin J
Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-1900, USA.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2009 Feb;96(2):491-503. doi: 10.1037/a0014201.
Individuals high in the personality trait dominance consistently attain high levels of influence in groups. Why they do is unclear, however, because most group theories assert that people cannot attain influence simply by behaving assertively and forcefully; rather, they need to possess superior task abilities and leadership skills. In the present research, the authors proposed that individuals high in trait dominance attain influence because they behave in ways that make them appear competent--even when they actually lack competence. Two studies examined task groups using a social relations analysis of peer perceptions (D. A. Kenny & L. LaVoie, 1984). The authors found that individuals higher in trait dominance were rated as more competent by fellow group members, outside peer observers, and research staff members, even after controlling for individuals' actual abilities. Furthermore, frequency counts of discrete behaviors showed that dominance predicts the enactment of competence-signaling behaviors, which in turn predicts peer ratings of competence. These findings extend researchers' understanding of trait dominance, hierarchies in groups, and perceptions of competence and abilities.
具有高支配性人格特质的个体在群体中始终能获得较高的影响力。然而，他们为何如此尚不清楚，因为大多数群体理论认为，人们不能仅仅通过表现得坚定有力来获得影响力；相反，他们需要具备卓越的任务能力和领导技能。在本研究中，作者提出，具有高支配性特质的个体获得影响力是因为他们的行为方式让他们看起来有能力——即使他们实际上缺乏能力。两项研究使用了对同伴认知的社会关系分析（D. A. 肯尼和L. 拉沃伊，1984年）来考察任务小组。作者发现，即使在控制了个体的实际能力之后，具有更高支配性特质的个体在小组同伴、外部同伴观察者和研究人员眼中的能力评价更高。此外，对离散行为的频次统计表明，支配性预示着能力信号行为的表现，而这反过来又预示着同伴对能力的评价。这些发现扩展了研究人员对特质支配性、群体等级制度以及能力和才能认知的理解。
