Which statement defines reward power?

• A. Power based on knowledge, skills, or experience.
• B. Gaining compliance by offering incentives or rewards.
• C. Power based on the belief that someone has the right to make demands (perception-based).
• D. Power based on respect, admiration, or personal connection.

Answer: (B)

Reward power is the ability to influence others by offering incentives or rewards in exchange for compliance. People comply because they value the rewards—things like praise, favorable assignments, or payoffs—and trust that delivering those rewards will follow. This type of power works best when the rewards are meaningful and reliably available, and when the person delivering them is trusted to keep their word. In criminal justice settings, a supervisor might use reward power by recognizing good performance, offering professional development opportunities, or granting preferred shifts to encourage adherence to procedures and achievement of goals.

Seeing it alongside other power bases helps clarify the concept: expertise power comes from knowledge or skill, legitimate power from formal authority, and referent power from respect or personal rapport. The statement defining reward power specifically captures the idea of guiding behavior through valued incentives.