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| Understanding the Downward Spiral of Power and Coercion |
| Sunday, May 25, 2025 |
| 6:00 PM–6:50 PM |
| Marriott Marquis, M2 Level, Marquis Salon 6 |
| Area: SCI; Domain: Theory |
| Chair: Samuel L Morris (Louisiana State University) |
| CE Instructor: Sonia M. Goltz, Ph.D. |
| Presenting Author: SONIA M. GOLTZ (Michigan Technological University) |
| Abstract: This presentation reviews past behavior analysis discussions of power and coercion and particularly highlights the paradoxical downward spiral many power holders succumb to. Power is based on the number of aversive and desired stimuli that the power holder controls that can be used to motivate follower behavior. The more dimensions of these stimuli the power holder controls and the more people for whom they control them, the more power they have. The paradox is that increased power should allow for more influence and greater ease about being able to lead. However, research indicates that as individuals increase in power, they often become more punitive instead of better at leading. In other words, they rely more and more on coercive methods such as pressure, constraint, false paternalism, and malign neglect. Consequences that serve to maintain the abusive use of power are reviewed and possible methods for stopping the downward spiral are considered. |
| Instruction Level: Basic |
| Target Audience: Basic instruction for behavior analysts. |
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify what is meant by power
2. Identify the four types of coercion
3. Identify consequences that maintain the abuse of power |
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| SONIA M. GOLTZ (Michigan Technological University) |
 Sonia Goltz is the Mickus Faculty Fellow of Business Impact at Michigan Tech and earned her PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Purdue University. She has studied the topics of organizational change, power, coercion, and equity and has published in psychology and business journals, such as Perspectives in Behavior Science, Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, and Journal of Organizational Change Management. |
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