JCJC Sociology Practice Test

Power is the ability to carry out your will, even over the resistance of others. This phrasing captures the central idea that power is the capacity to achieve outcomes despite opposition, regardless of how that outcome is secured. Authority is a type of power grounded in legitimacy, so it’s related but narrower. Influence involves shaping others’ preferences and actions, often without direct control over outcomes, and may not always overcome concrete resistance. Coercion uses threats or force to compel compliance, which is one way power can be exercised but not the whole concept. So, the best fit is power because it encompasses the overall capacity to make things happen despite resistance.