Fairness or Compassion? Cultural Differences in Power Norms Affect Judgments of Power-Holders

Cultures appear to differ in the degree to which they nurture personalized versus socialized power concepts (Torelli and Shavitt 2010). European Americans seem more likely to conceptualize power as something to be used for advancing one’s personal agenda, and obtaining praise and admiration from others (i.e., a personalized power concept). In contrast, Hispanics appear more likely to foster a view of power as something to be used for helping and benefitting others (i.e., a socialized power concept). However, little is known about the role of social norms in carrying and reinforcing such cultural patterns. We address this issue in the current research. Social norms are a central concept in the study of human social behavior (Fishbein and Ajzen 1975) and the study of cultures (Triandis 1995, 1996). The term norm can refer to what is commonly done by people in a group (i.e., descriptive norms) or to conduct that commonly earns approval or disapproval (i.e., injunctive norms). Although what is approved is typically what is done, descriptive and injunctive norms are conceptually and motivationally distinct (Cialdini, Reno, and Kallgren 1990). This distinction seems particularly relevant when discussing the norms applied to power-holders. We propose that descriptive and injunctive norms applied to power-holders will not necessarily correspond. Because self-centered power-holders have the potential to negatively impact those around them by maximizing their personal gain at the expense of others’, societies that foster a personalized view of power should fear the consequences of excessive power that goes unchecked. This is evident in the political system of checks and balances contained in the American Constitution—aimed at assuring fairness in the use of power by the different branches of government. Thus, mainstream European Americans, because they are seen as more strongly embodying North American culture (Devos and Banaji 2005), may be especially likely to apply injunctive norms of fairness when judging the interactions of power-holders with others.