AUTHOR=Hofmann Eva , Hartl Barbara , Gangl Katharina , Hartner-Tiefenthaler Martina , Kirchler Erich 

TITLE=Authorities' Coercive and Legitimate Power: The Impact on Cognitions Underlying Cooperation

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00005

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00005

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<p>The execution of coercive and legitimate power by an authority assures cooperation and prohibits free-riding. While coercive power can be comprised of severe punishment and strict monitoring, legitimate power covers expert, and informative procedures. The perception of these powers wielded by authorities stimulates specific cognitions: trust, relational climates, and motives. With four experiments, the single and combined impact of coercive and legitimate power on these processes and on intended cooperation of n<sub>1</sub> = 120, n<sub>2</sub> = 130, n<sub>3</sub> = 368, and n<sub>4</sub> = 102 student participants is investigated within two exemplary contexts (tax contributions, insurance claims). Findings reveal that coercive power increases an antagonistic climate and enforced compliance, whereas legitimate power increases reason-based trust, a service climate, and voluntary cooperation. Unexpectedly, legitimate power is additionally having a negative effect on an antagonistic climate and a positive effect on enforced compliance; these findings lead to a modification of theoretical assumptions. However, solely reason-based trust, but not climate perceptions and motives, mediates the relationship between power and intended cooperation. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.</p>