COMMUNICATION CONFLICTS OF STATUS AND AUTHORITY IN DYADIC, TASK-BASEDINTERACTIONS - STATUS GENERALIZATION IN AIRPLANE COCKPITS

Status generalization theory predicts that high-status individuals wil l automatically assume high-authority roles controlling task-based int eractions. However, temporary task demands may require low-status indi viduals to assume high-authority positions. If status generalizes, rol e conflicts may occur when high-status partners fail to yield control to low-status partners. To test status generalization in legitimate ro le-reversal situations, airplane pilot crews who represented high- and low-status partners (i.e., captains and first officers) flew simulate d missions during which transfers of authority (i.e., pilot flying to pilot not flying) occurred. Results showed captains initiated more tra nsfers and used more direct commands in initiations of transfers of au thority than did first officers, even when captains were in, low-autho rity roles. Only when using mitigated commands did first officers in h igh-authority positions initiate more transfers than did captains. Per formative speech acts were shown to be effective, conventional devices for enacting transfers of authority.