In the flow of power: The impact of the implicit power motive on flow experience

Head of the project:

Dipl.-Psych. Anja Schiepe, Prof. Dr. Hugo M. Kehr

Description of the project:

What do the activities teaching, competing against others in a game and taking part in a group discussion have in common?

All named activities shall arouse the implicit power motive in a person while doing it. The power motive is defined as a reccurent concern to have impact on others or the world at large (Winter, 1973). This research project will investigate if people experience flow in power related tasks.

Flow experience is defined as non-reflective merged in a swimmingly going activity (Rheinberg, 2008, S. 153). According to the compensatory model of work motivation and volition (Kehr, 2004), flow will result when (1) the task related behaviour matches one’s implicit motives. (2) No competing explicit motives are aroused an if additionally (3) the perceived abilities are sufficient.

We assume that person with a high implicit power motive experience more flow while working on a power related task than person with a low implicit power motive.
The arousal of the implicit power motive shall be varified by different indicators for example physiological indicators (Testosterone, Estradiol) and behavior

Promoted by:

Bund der Freunde der TUM e. V.