An ethnographic study of the relevance of social desirability bias on the social power scale studies that focus on motivational stimulus in the workplace

Scope of study. This dissertation investigated the influence that social desirability has on the social power scale construct developed by John French and Bertram Raven in their 1959 research on social powers. It sought to clarify whether social desirability bias is a significant factor in the determination of social power influence in the supervisor/subordinate relationship. The primary research designed consisted of an ethnographic approach.; Findings and conclusions. This study addressed the relevance of Social Desirability Bias (SDB) on the social power scale studies that focus on motivational stimulus in the workplace. In 1959 when John French and Bertram Raven initially addressed the five sources of social power, their primary intent was to identify and define them so that they could be compared to the changes that these power sources produced. However, their work was later criticized because it did not consider how social desirability bias might have influenced its outcomes. Social desirability bias is present in some forms of testing. Yet, SDB does not appear to be a significant factor in social power scale surveys. This research indicates that most people are able to distinguish the need to be perceived in a socially accepted way from the obligation to be truthful in their responses on the social power scales. This finding contradicts, to some degree, the generally held belief that SDB is an eminent threat to the social power scale results; according to this research it is not. It is therefore stated here that broadening the methodology design to consider social desirability bias as a variable to the social power scale construct is not needed. It is suggested here that further emphasis needs to be placed on educating the agent responsible for administering the survey to recognize the potential signs that may heighten SDB responses and the tools that are most effective to counterbalance its probability.