Types of Power and definitions

Posse/Potere

• Are from Latin and meaning ´to be able`

POWER

POWER• The extent to which one person can

influence another to do something

OR

• The ability of one person to control some other person in order to do something

Power in small groups

• Is reflected in the ability to get other group members to

conform to our wishes

TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT

Power is a relational concern for both

leaders and followers

In terms of education

Power must be a relational concern for both teachers

and students

CONCEPTS OF POWER

1. Power Bases

2. Power Processes

3. Power Outcomes

1. Power Bases

• The most common description of power bases is by French and Raven

(1959), in which power is divided

into five different categories

1. LEGITIMATE POWER

2. REFERENT POWER 3. EXPERT POWER

4. REWARD POWER

5. COERCIVE POWER

• Later on, Raven in 1965 added one more category:

6. Informational Power

1. LEGITIMATE POWER

It is associated with having authority derived from status, a job, etc

I.e. A teacher, who besides being in charge of the classroom, is balanced in her/his appraisals, Then she or he exhibits legitimate power

2. REFERENT POWER

It is based on followers` identification and linking for the leader

I.e. A teacher who is admired by her/his students (´be like`) has referent power

3. EXPERT POWER

It is based on followers` perceptions of the leader `s competences.

I.e. A teacher who is well-knowledgeable about her/his subject has expert power

As the saying goes… Knowledge is POWER

4. REWARD POWER

It is derived from having the capacity to provide rewards to others

I.e. A teacher who gives extra points, desirable assignments and grades to students who work hard, shows reward power

5. COERCIVE POWER

It is derived from having the capacity to penalize or punishing others

I.e. A teacher, who wants to set an example in order to avoid having a similar behavior in the future and she or he takes disciplinary actions against a student as a punishment, uses coercive power

6. INFORMATIONAL POWER

It is derived from expressing one’s views in ways that are reasonable and compelling to others, which is considered effective communication

I.e. A teacher who explains concise and clearly her/his subject, for the students` sake, she or he has informational power

Much more important

• Your power base is the sum of resources you posses that you can use to exert control over your students

CONCEPTS OF POWER

1. Power Bases

2. Power Processes

3. Power Outcomes

2. Power Processes• Are ongoing interaction among group

members

• Through interaction we put our resources to work for us

• Interaction itself can be an important source of power in the group

However, we should consider

• Assertiveness: Which refers to the numbers of attempts an individual makes to influence the behavior of others

• Control: Is the measure of effectiveness of these attempts and the number of times these attempts are successful

• In other words, the power held by a group member can be represented by a ratio of attempts to successful attempts

CONCEPTS OF POWER

1. Power Bases

2. Power Processes

3. Power Outcomes

3. Power Outcomes

• Potential = Possibility

• Actual = Real

As we have seen, power may be potencial or actual

Summig up

• Power bases and power processes represent potential sources of power

• POWER OUTCOMES are the measure of actual power of a group member

Finally• Who wins the argument

• Who makes the final decisions

• Who achieves higher status within the group

Are all results of development and use of power

but

A great power involves a great responsibility