ABSTRACT
Power has been identified as one of the defining features of human relationships (Russell, 1938; Kelley & Thibaut, 1978). While power permeates all interpersonal encounters to a greater or lesser degree (Burgoon & Hale, 1984; Dillard et al, 1996), the experience of conflict brings power to the forefront as a factor shaping communicators’ decisions to communicate – or not – about problematic issues. The chilling effect (Roloff & Cloven, 1990) refers to the way in which a partner’s relational power may encourage individuals to avoid communication about sensitive relational topics, such as complaints about a partner’s behavior. When a partner is particularly powerful, individuals may fear that expressing complaints to that partner may lead to negative consequences such as physical or verbal punishment (Cloven & Roloff, 1993).
