Effects of trait dominance on powerholders' judgments of subordinates

Two studies tested the effects of trait dominance on powerholders' impressions and judgments of subordinates in dyadic interaction. Participants were assigned to the role of either interviewer or job applicant. Interviewers had either high-or low-dominant personalities, and applicants were motivated to present themselves as either sociable or competent. Both studies revealed that individual differences in dominance are associated with unique social cognitive sensitivities, reflected in impression ratings and interpersonal evaluations. High-dominant interviewers favored sociable applicants, whereas low-dominant interviewers favored competent applicants. Discussion relates findings to prior research on dominance orientation, impression management, and biasing effects of power.