Datasets for: On the Road to Power: Showing Benevolence and Integrity Fuels Power Granting

Four studies show that people (observers) base their decisions regarding whom to grant powerful positions on the behaviors that a prospective powerholder shows. The data shows that people are more ready to grant power to someone if the target person shows (a) that they care about others’ situation (i.e., show they have benevolent intentions) and (b) typically does as they promised (i.e., show that they have integrity and “walk their talk”). This tendency might be driven by greater trust in such people to use power in a responsible manner. These results show how power relations democratically develop and how potential powerholders can signal to others that they are well-suited to receive power.