Impact of power conceptualization and construal-level mindset on distributive fairness

We investigated the influence of power conceptualization (influence/responsibility) on distributive fairness and the role of construal-level mindset in this cause–effect relationship. Participants in our study were 80 adults at a continental education school in China. The results showed that power that is conceptualized as responsibility represents a higher level of abstraction of construal and leads to a fairer distribution of resources than when it is conceptualized as influence. Moreover, we found that a construal-level mindset mediated the effects of power on distributive fairness. Theoretical and practical implications of the influence of power conceptualization and the role of construal-level mindset in power and fair behavior are discussed.