Network Connections and the Distribution of Power in Exchange Networks

Abstract

This article presents an extension of recent work on exchange networks and specifies theoretically the implications of different types of network connections for the distribution of power. The paper employs power-dependence principles to make predictions concerning the distribution of power in differently organized exchange networks. The results of several laboratory experiments are reported testing these predictions. Computer simulation results are also presented testing predictions that extend beyond the experimental work. The findings demonstrate that the locus of power in exchange networks is determined by the nature of the network connections (positive, negative, or mixed) and the scarcity of resources, factors that alter the underlying dependency relations.