French and Raven’s model identifies five (later expanded to six) fundamental bases of social power that explain how individuals influence others: reward, coercive, legitimate, referent, expert, and informational power. These power bases describe different sources of influence ranging from formal authority to personal persuasion and expertise.
The Bases of Social Power Read More »
Clancy and Davis critique the use of the term WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) in human subjects research, arguing that its common application obscures the role of whiteness as a dominant structuring force in scientific sampling and interpretation. They call for greater reflexivity and more inclusive methodological approaches that foreground diverse identities and perspectives in biological anthropology.
How Artifacts Afford updates affordance theory by shifting the focus from what technologies afford to how, for whom, and under what circumstances they afford actions, foregrounding the power and politics encoded in sociotechnical artifacts. Davis introduces a mechanisms and conditions framework that offers a precise, critical vocabulary for analyzing how technological features shape social behavior and outcomes.
How Artifacts Afford: The Power and Politics of Everyday Things Read More »
In Brief: Intergenerational conflict is a recurring social phenomenon that reflects discrepancies in value systems, behavioral patterns, and modes of
Generation Why: The Sociology and Psychology of Intergenerational Conflict Read More »
In Brief: Gaslighting is more than just lying; it is a systematic attempt to erode an individual’s sense of self
Shadows and Lies: The Psychological Architecture of Gaslighting and DARVO Read More »
In Brief: A concert is more than a musical performance; it is a high-stakes psychological ritual. By examining the contrasting
In Brief: We often think of power as something that is exerted through direct orders or force. However, the most
Invisible Strings: The Psychology of Anticipatory Compliance and Internalized Control Read More »
In Brief: Politeness is often viewed as a lubricant for social friction, but a deeper scientific analysis reveals it as
The Politeness Protocol: Social Influence, Power Dynamics, and the Psychology of Control Read More »
