Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Jonah Lehrer explores the
psychological literature on power. Contrary to popular
stereotype, Lehrer writes, the best way to accumulate authority
isn't through Machiavellian backstabbing; it's by being
considerate and friendly. Or so say studies of groups ranging
from college sororities to troops of chimpanzees. But once
you've accumulated power, your behavior often changes: "It's an
incredibly consistent effect," [psychologist Dacher] Keltner
says. "When you give people power, they basically start acting
like fools. They flirt inappropriately, tease in a hostile
fashion, and become totally impulsive." Mr. Keltner compares the
feeling of power to brain damage, noting that people with lots
of authority tend to behave like neurological patients with a
damaged orbito-frontal lobe, a brain area that's crucial for
empathy and decision-making. Even the most virtuous people can
be undone by the corner office. Why does power lead people to
flirt with interns and solicit bribes and f