The text defines power distance as “the extent to which people in a society accept inequalities based on social status, wealth, power, laws, and/or physical characteristics.(Gruman) Most countries listed as having a high power distance include many majority-Arab countries, Guatemala, and the Philippines. Countries with a lower power distance in the population include New Zealand, Northern European countries, and Great Britain.
As I read this section, I was confused about if the United States would be considered to have a high or low power distance. I’ll reason in this post for and against both sides and come to the conclusion that the United States has a lower power distance than the extreme countries, but higher than our European allies.
Firstly, a high power distance is indicated by the use of titles for elders of a community and a higher prevalence of collectivism. Collectivism is a societal focus on the community and nation as a whole. Family wishes have a much larger role in determining what a child grows up to do and what their beliefs are. Lower power distances countries display the opposite. The text uses the example of first names being used, even if the person being referred to is senior in position or age relative to the other participant in a conversation.
In the United State’s case, one can clearly see multiple different aspects of both low and high power distance. The population demonstrates a much higher sense of individualism than in Eastern countries. One point for a lower power distance. However, in my personal opinion, younger ages never refer to an older figure, especially one of higher power (be it an elected official, teacher, or other) by their first name. This demonstrates some level of elevated power distance. Even referring to an uncle or grandparent by their first name seems odd to me. In sum, the US is a melting pot of aspects of both extremes of the power distance scale. We employ more lower power distance which sustains the focus on an individual’s unique skills and allows them to foster.
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2016). Applied social psychology : Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. SAGE Publications.