Acquiring 'new power' makes people more vengeful

People new to holding power are more likely to be vengeful when placed in charge, it has been revealed.

A new research, exploring the relationship between power and revenge, has shown that people who are accustomed to power positions are more tolerant of perceived wrongdoing.

The research, co-led by Dr Mario Weick of the University of Kent, and Dr Peter Strelan, of the University of Adelaide, concluded that revenge and other acts of aggression are more likely to be enacted by individuals who are new to holding power and feel more vulnerable to threats, relative to those who feel more self-assured and experienced in their exercise of power.

The researchers base their conclusions on a series of four experimental studies conducted in the UK and Australia and involving close to 500 participants drawn from student populations and the general public.

The paper, titled 'Power and revenge', is published in the 'British Journal of Social Psychology'.