EFFECTS OF POWER IMBALANCE AND THE PRESENCE OF 3RD-PARTIES ON REACTIONS TO HARM - UPWARD AND DOWNWARD REVENGE

This study examined the effect of power imbalance and the presence of third parties on vengeful reactions to harm. At the onset of their int eraction, participants were unjustly harmed by a confederate who had e ither more or less power than they had. As predicted, in the presence of a justice-concerned third party, upward revenge (people of low powe r taking revenge against those of high power) was greater than downwar d revenge (people of high power taking revenge against those of low po wer). However, in the absence of a third party, downward revenge was g reater than upward revenge. These findings highlight the important rol e of third parties in determining vengeful behavior in situations of p ower imbalance and add additional evidence for the importance of justi ce concerns in revenge.