ATTRIBUTION AND SOCIAL-INFLUENCE

This article utilizes an attributional approach to explore genotypic s imilarities among Raven's (1965) 6 bases of power. Two scenarios descr ibing a successful influence attempt leading to a good or a bad outcom e were created. Following a randomized blocks design, 60 subjects in e ach condition read 6 explanations given by the target of influence tha t reflected the bases of power of Raven's taxonomy (reward, coercion, legitimate, referent, expert, and informational). Rating scales follow ing each power basis explanation assessed the perceived causal dimensi ons of locus and controllability attributed to the target of influence 's behavior and how much the behavior led, in the good and bad outcome conditions, respectively, to pride (guilt), self-esteem enhancement ( decrement), responsibility (as perceived by self and by others), and g ratitude (anger). The results revealed that reward, referent, and info rmational influence are genotypically similar and perceived as more in ternal and more controllable than expert, legitimate, and coercive inf luence. These perceptions, in turn, led to higher degrees of affective reactions, confirming the predictions of Weiner's theory (1986). The results are related to Milgram's (1963) obedience studies and Kelman a nd Hamilton's (1989) crimes of obedience. Comments on why reward and c oercive influence were found to be genotypically distinct in this stud y are also presented. Implications of the actor/observer bias in studi es of this nature are indicated.