Final answer:
David McClelland's work on the motivational need for power, or n Pow, identified two major types of power: personal and institutional. Personal power is used for self-gratification, while institutional power is used within organizations to control or direct others. These insights help to understand social and professional interactions as well as governmental structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
David McClelland's considerable work on the motivational need for power, which he referred to as n Pow, revealed that there are two major types of power. The first type is often personal power, which is sought by individuals who desire influence over others for self-gratification. The second type is institutional power, which refers to the power exerted within or by an organization to control or direct the actions of others. These forms of power can manifest differently depending on whether they are used for individual gain or for the function and control within systems and structures.
As shown in the study of political anthropology and through the work of sociologist Max Weber, power is the ability to influence others and is a central concept for understanding societal interactions, whether in acephalous (leaderless) societies or in centralized government systems where authority is more defined. McClelland's exploration of these dichotomous forms of power offers insights into how individuals and institutions operate within various social, professional, or governmental contexts.