Examples

In situations involving asymmetric dependence, one person can influence the well-being of a second person, whereas the second person can exert little or no influence over the well-being of the first. One person holds relatively greater power; the other is relatively more dependent. For example, when a hungry baby cries, the caregiver has the power to reduce the baby's discomfort by feeding her, making the baby smile and coo. When mountain climbers encounter a storm and must descend from a high altitude, the climber in better physical condition has the power to either assist or abandon a fellow climber with frostbite. When one spouse is more in love than the other, the less-involved partner can usually “call the shots,” in confident expectation that the more-involved partner will adopt the proposed course of action.

Conceptual Description

The requirement for asymmetric dependence is that one person's actions play a greater role in determining the outcomes of both individuals. The “power holder” (a) has Actor Control over his or her own outcomes and (b) influences the partner's outcomes, exerting Partner Control, Joint Control, or both types of control over the outcomes of the dependent person. In contrast, the “dependent” (a) has little or no Actor Control over his or her own outcomes and (b) has little or no influence over the partner's outcomes, exerting neither Partner Control nor Joint Control over the power holder's outcomes.