Participants primed to high-power showed a decreased inversion effect for Caucasian models of the opposite gender, but not for Asian models. Caucasian male and female participants were primed to high or neutral-power before engaging in an old/new recognition task involving sexualized face–body compound images of Caucasian and Asian men and women. Previous work has shown that participants primed to power do not show the typical drop in recognition performance for inverted face–body compound stimuli, suggesting that they process these stimuli in terms of their individual features, in a manner akin to objects, and quite different from the way in which faces and bodies are normally processed (i.e., configurally). As in previous studies, sexual objectification was assessed using an inversion paradigm with face–body compound stimuli. In this study, we investigated the effects of primed power on sexual objectification of Caucasian and Asian men and women. Together, these results enrich the literature on third-party intervention and incivility, showing how power may free bystanders to intervene in response to observed incivility. While the powerful support targets less as a direct effect, we reveal countervailing indirect effects: To the extent that incivility is seen as a status challenge and triggers felt responsibility, power indirectly increases support toward the target. In Studies 2 and 3, we also reveal an interesting nuance to the effect of power on supporting the target. Study 3 demonstrates that incivility leads the powerful to perceive a status challenge, which then triggers feelings of responsibility. Study 2 shows that felt responsibility mediates the effect of power on increased confrontation and decreased avoidance. We explain the motivation that leads the powerful to act by integrating theory on responsibility construals of power and hierarchy maintenance. They are more likely to directly confront perpetrators, and less likely to avoid the perpetrator and offer social support to targets. In Study 1, we demonstrate that the powerful respond with agency to witnessed incivility. We begin by drawing on research linking power and action orientation. In experimental (Studies 1 and 3) and field (Study 2) settings, we find evidence suggesting that power can shape how, why, and when the powerful respond to observed incivility against others. In this paper, we identify a potential bright side to power-namely, that the powerful are more likely to intervene when they witness workplace incivility. Previous work underscores the links between power and self-interested, antisocial behavior. Research often paints a dark portrait of power.
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