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Assholes and Alphas

One reason that alpha males and alpha females act like bullies is we let them, and actually subtly encourage them to, get away with it.  Studies by Standford's Lara Tiedens and her colleagues  [show that] strategic use of anger and blame can help push yourself up the hierarchy and knock others down.  Tiedens demonstrated this in an experiment in which, during U.S. Senate debates about whether Bill Clinton should be impeaced, she showed recent film clips of the then-President.  In one clip, Clinton expressed anger about the Monica Lewisnky sex scandal, and in the other, he expressed sandess.  Subjects who view an angry Clinton were more likely to say he should be allowed to remain in office and not be severely punished, and that the impeachment matter should be dropped...continue to full post

Full post as published by Crime & Federalism on January 01, 2009 (boomark / email).