The nature and measurement of interpersonal dominance

The construct of dominance has been utilized in a variety of ways in scholarly research, which has led to conceptual confusion and operational problems. Particularly problematic has been a stereotypically narrow and pejorative conceptualization. Grounded in a review of literature from several different disciplines, this essay advances a broader conceptualization that focuses on dominance as an interpersonal communication construct. It also reports two alternative measurement strategies and initial validational work, as well as offers recommendations for operationalizing dominance in communication work.