How power corrupts relationships, with Prof. Dan Cable and Akin Omobitan

When you're on top, it can feel like everyone wants something from you. Might you be right? Or is it all in your head? Dan and Akin look to social psychology for an answer, and pull at the roots of our budding cynical nature. Research Paper: 'How Power Corrupts Relationships: Cynical Attributions for Others' Generous Acts' by Ena Inesi, Deborah Gruenfeld and Adam Galinsky ----------------- The rich and famous, despite being surrounded by seemingly benevolent faces, often point to their celebrity as an impediment to the development of meaningful relationships. Thus, Leonardo DiCaprio said: "I had better success meeting girls before Titanic... there wasn't a perception of her talking to me for only one reason" and child actor Gary Coleman left the following chilling instructions in his will: "Plan a wake for me conducted by those who have had no financial ties to me and can look each other in the eyes and say they really cared personally for Gary Coleman." We see again and again that power provides a reason to doubt the purity of others' favors, creating a cynical perspective. In this podcast, Dan and Akin look at how power can alter social perception in ways that seem likely to corrupt social relationships.