Power Dynamics and Identity Management- Understanding Bases of Power in Relationships and Techniques for Managing Stigmatized Identities

Power Dynamics and Identity Management- Understanding Bases of Power in Relationships and Techniques for Managing Stigmatized Identities

Question 1: Four Bases of Power in Relationships

Bases of power are the foundation for most perspectives that involve power or authority. The four bases of power include coercive power, reward power, legitimate power, and expert power. However, it is essential to address where power comes from, which involves analyzing personal/relational bases or power and structural bases of power (Wrong 22).

Firstly, expertise is a form of power characterized by an individual’s experiences, knowledge, and skills (Wrong 22). Secondly, the referent is the form of power that comes from the state of being trusted and respected in an organization (Wrong 22). Expertise and referent form the personal bases of power. Thirdly, legitimate power emanates from having a certain position of power in an organization. Accordingly, this may either be a manager or a vital member of leadership. As such, when the employees recognize the authority of this individual, this power is addressed (Wrong 22). Lastly, coercive power is characterized by fear caused by threatening others (Wrong 22). Legitimate and coercive bases form the structural bases of power. Collectively, these bases of power can shape the development of personal relationships in various ways; this includes creating and enhancing strong ties or creating a tense atmosphere in the working environment.

Question 2: Techniques People with Stigmatized Identities Use To Manage Their Identity

Stigma is characterized by the process of concealing one’s identity to mitigate social stigma. The effects of stigma can be detrimental to individuals’ ability to work or express themselves. Individuals can choose either passing or revealing strategies to manage their identities. Passing strategies encompass techniques that do not disclose invisible stigma to others. They include discretion, concealment, and fabrication (Scheibe et al. 190). Revealing techniques, on the other hand, reveal various stigmas. These include differentiating, normalizing, and signaling.

Question 3: Make Oneself More Attractive As a Potential Friend or Romantic Partner

Interpersonal attraction is characterized by feelings regarding another person, which may take different forms, including friendship, admiration, and love. However, some factors influence these attractions. In making myself attractive, I can focus on physical attractiveness based on the matching hypothesis, which suggests that people tend to pick others they consider equal in their attractiveness. Proximity will also be considered since the geographical closeness of a person complements the exposure effect (Huang et al. 230). Similarity is another aspect based on the idea that people tend to pick partners who have similar traits, such as age, interests, religion, or social class.

Question 4: Modified Labeling Theory of Mental Illness

The modified labeling theory suggests that labeling negatively affects the mental well-being of an individual, even though it may not be the primary cause of a mental disorder. Labeling tends to make individuals feel isolated and discriminated against, and as a result, this damages their coping and social bonding skills in the long run. Stigma plays a vital role in labeling. This relates to the issue of coping resources because people tend to lower their expectations, and an individual may find it hard to ask for assistance from others (Bernburg et al. 180). As a result, this affects the coping processes, especially those that are directly marked by a certain approach and avoidance.

Question 5: Socioeconomic Status (Class) And Race Influence on Romantic Relationships

Social psychological research suggests that socioeconomic status and race influence the interests and values in a relationship. Individuals with different socioeconomic and racial statuses tend to have various differences, which impede how they relate with each other. People tend to share common experiences or types of work when they have a similar economic status, and these values complement the attraction of common interests (Destin et al. 272).

Works Cited

Bernburg, Jón Gunnar. “Labeling theory.” Handbook on crime and deviance. Springer, Cham, 2019. 179-196. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20779-3_10

Destin, Mesmin, Michelle Rheinschmidt-Same, and Jennifer A. Richeson. “Status-based identity: A conceptual approach integrating the social psychological study of socioeconomic status and identity.” Perspectives on Psychological Science 12.2 (2017): 270-289. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691616664424

Huang, Sabrina A., Alison Ledgerwood, and Paul W. Eastwick. “How do ideal friend preferences and interaction context affect friendship formation? Evidence for a domain-general relationship initiation process.” Social Psychological and Personality Science 11.2 (2020): 226-235. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550619845925

Scheibe, Karl E., and Frank J. Barrett. “The Dramaturgical Approach to Social Psychology: The Influence of Erving Goffman.” The Storied Nature of Human Life. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2017. 187-200. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48790-8_8

Wrong, Dennis H. Power: Its forms, bases, and uses. Routledge, 2017.

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1. Describe the four bases of power in relationships (two structural and two relational) and how they can shape the development of a personal relationship.
2. Define and provide examples of the techniques people with stigmatized identities use to manage their identity, according to Goffman’s dramaturgical theory of social interaction.

Power Dynamics and Identity Management- Understanding Bases of Power in Relationships and Techniques for Managing Stigmatized Identities

3. Describe three ways that you might make yourself more attractive as a potential friend or romantic partner based on the social psychological research on attraction.
4. What is the modified labeling theory of mental illness? How does it relate to the issue of coping resources?
5. What does the social psychological research say about how socioeconomic status (class) and race influence romantic relationships?