What describes informational power?

• A. It is strengthened by withholding information
• B. It requires a formal job title
• C. It is based on coercion
• D. It diminishes when you share information others want

Answer: (D)

Informational power comes from having exclusive access to information that others need or want. That exclusivity gives you influence because others depend on you to obtain that knowledge. When you share the information, you remove that exclusive access, so others gain the same knowledge and your leverage diminishes. In social work, this is balanced with ethics and confidentiality, but the basic idea remains: power tied to information weakens as you disclose it. The other statements don’t fit as neatly because having informational power doesn’t require a formal title, it isn’t defined by coercion, and while withholding information can preserve power in some contexts, sharing it reduces the exclusive advantage that underpins informational power.