The problem of demand effects in power studies: Moving beyond power priming

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License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_1FD95BB74648
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
The problem of demand effects in power studies: Moving beyond power priming
Journal
The Leadership Quarterly
Author(s)
Khademi Mahshid, Schmid Mast Marianne, Zehnder Christian, De Saint Priest Oriana
ISSN
1048-9843
Publication state
Published
Issued date
08/2021
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
32
Number
4
Pages
101496
Language
english
Abstract
Power in experimental research has been commonly induced by methods that raise concerns regarding demand effects. In this paper, we investigate the empirical relevance of these concerns. In an incentivized online study (N = 1632), we manipulated the method of power manipulation (power priming vs. resource allocation), the level of power (high-power vs. control), and the presence of a manipulation check after the power manipulation. We then assessed risk-taking as an outcome variable in two ways, once as a non-consequential measure (self-report measure) and twice as a consequential measure (incentivized behavioral choices). Our results show that both using power priming (vs. resource allocation) and implementing a manipulation check substantially increased the potential for demand effects as measured by the proportion of participants who were aware of the study hypothesis. In addition, we were able to replicate the positive effect of power on risk-taking previously reported in the literature. However, we only found a significant (and small) effect for our non-consequential measure of risk-taking; when risk-taking was measured with either of our two consequential measures, power had no significant impact. Our pattern of results shows that concerns about demand effects in priming studies cannot be dismissed. We advise researchers, especially those studying power, to steer away from demand-prone manipulations of power and to measure outcome variables (e.g., behavior) through consequential choices.
Keywords
Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, Sociology and Political Science, Applied Psychology, Business and International Management
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
20/01/2021 16:51
Last modification date
26/07/2022 7:08
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