I think it's safe to assume power play in most such instances, though the perpetrators may have little more self-awareness than a dog does when it pee-claims th

I think it's safe to assume power play in most such instances, though the perpetrators may have little more self-awareness than a dog does when it pee-claims things. People who grow up in authoritarian households tend to just repeat that behavior, as obedience is valued more highly than correctness. They care about you doing what they say, full stop.