Interpersona 2(1) Articles
Interpersonal Dominance in Relational Conflict: A View from Dyadic Power Theory

Abstract
This investigation uses dyadic power theory (Dunbar, 2004; Dunbar & Burgoon, 2005a; Rollins & Bahr, 1976) to offer competing hypotheses examining the relationship between power and dominance in close relationships. Forty-seven couples engaged in a conversation while being videotaped; the tapes were coded by third-party observers for dominance. Participants rated themselves to be the most dominant when they were equal to their partners in power, followed by those who perceived they were more powerful relative to their partners. Men and women had different perceptions of power and dominance in their relationships. Men’s perceptions of power were not related to their behavioral dominance whereas when women saw themselves as more powerful, they viewed their partners as more dominant.

Keywords: power; dominance; close relationships; conflict.

Author Note: All authors are Associate Professors from the Department of Communication Studies at California State University Long Beach, Long Beach CA. Correspondence should be addressed to the first author at the Department of Communication Studies (AS 309), California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, California, USA, 90840-2407. Phone: (562)985-9394. Fax: (562) 985-4259. E-mail: ndunbar@csulb.edu. A previous version of this paper was presented to the Interpersonal Division of the annual meeting of the National Communication Association in Chicago, Illinois, USA in November 2007.

Full Text
English (PDF)

< Back to contents