Summary Of The Article 'Influential Powers' By Bertram Raven
Influential Powers
Kaplan University
Influential Powers In summary, the article from the Kaplan Online Library I read stated that social influence and power strategies have existed for as long as humans needed to interact (Raven, 2008). Bertram Raven, the author, states that people have utilized formal or informal power strategies and influences with varying degrees of knowledge and effectiveness of doing so (p. 10). Raven cites his original statements in his paper from 1959 regarding bases of power which includes reward, coercion, legitimate, expertise, and referent power and summarizes developments since then. To quote Bert, “social influence is a change in the belief, attitude, or behavior of a person (the target of influence), which results from the action of another person (an influencing agent). Social power is defined as the potential for such influence, the ability of the agent or power figure to bring about such change, using resources available to him or her. The bases of power differ in the manner that the social change is implemented, the permanence of such change, and the ways in which each basis of power is established and maintained” (pg 1-2). The more dominant form of power that I tend to use more frequently, arguably by others, is referent power. Referent power is defined by Robbins and Judge as, …show more content…
How do people get promotions? How do people demonstrate their expertise? How do people get others to like them? How do they acquire the ability to provide others with rewards and punishment when necessary?” (Work, n.d.). The website proposes answers as a means to obtain the five bases of power that Raven identified. The site again lists characteristics “perceived as important to gaining and using power.” Those characteristics are listed as: Articulate, Sensitive, Socially adept, Competent, Popular, Extroverted, Self Confident, Aggressive, and
Kaplan University
Influential Powers In summary, the article from the Kaplan Online Library I read stated that social influence and power strategies have existed for as long as humans needed to interact (Raven, 2008). Bertram Raven, the author, states that people have utilized formal or informal power strategies and influences with varying degrees of knowledge and effectiveness of doing so (p. 10). Raven cites his original statements in his paper from 1959 regarding bases of power which includes reward, coercion, legitimate, expertise, and referent power and summarizes developments since then. To quote Bert, “social influence is a change in the belief, attitude, or behavior of a person (the target of influence), which results from the action of another person (an influencing agent). Social power is defined as the potential for such influence, the ability of the agent or power figure to bring about such change, using resources available to him or her. The bases of power differ in the manner that the social change is implemented, the permanence of such change, and the ways in which each basis of power is established and maintained” (pg 1-2). The more dominant form of power that I tend to use more frequently, arguably by others, is referent power. Referent power is defined by Robbins and Judge as, …show more content…
How do people get promotions? How do people demonstrate their expertise? How do people get others to like them? How do they acquire the ability to provide others with rewards and punishment when necessary?” (Work, n.d.). The website proposes answers as a means to obtain the five bases of power that Raven identified. The site again lists characteristics “perceived as important to gaining and using power.” Those characteristics are listed as: Articulate, Sensitive, Socially adept, Competent, Popular, Extroverted, Self Confident, Aggressive, and