The Hazard of Teetering at the Top and Being Tied to the Bottom: The Interactive Relationship of Power, Stability, and Social Dominance Orientation with Work Stress

This study examines the roles of power, stability, and social dominance orientation (SDO) for work stress. Initial laboratory research has demonstrated that power and the stability of one's power position interact to influence stress. Using a sample of Chinese managers, we replicate and extend this finding in an organisational field setting, illustrating that the interactive role of power and stability hinges on individuals' SDO. Individuals higher (but not lower) in SDO experienced more work stress in unstable high-power and stable low-power positions, compared to their counterparts in stable high-power and unstable low-power positions. These results underscore the role of stability for understanding the power-stress relationship and emphasise individual differences in needs and motivations as an important boundary condition.