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How distinctive are indigenous ways of achieving influence? A comparative study of guanxi, wasta, jeitinho, and "pulling strings"

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posted on 2023-06-09, 01:27 authored by Peter B Smith, Hai Juan Huang, Charles Harb, Claudio Torres
The purpose of the study was to investigate the cultural specificity of guanxi, wasta, and jeitinho, each of which has been identified as an indigenous process of informal influence. Students in Brazil, China, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom were presented with three scenarios derived from each of the nations sampled. They rated the extent to which each scenario was representative of the locally indigenous process, the typicality for their culture of the events portrayed in the scenarios, and the extent to which these interpersonal exchanges were perceived positively. While each type of scenario was perceived as representative and typical in its culture of origin, each was also perceived as somewhat typical by respondents in additional locations. Informal influence processes may vary between cultures more in frequency than in quality. Rated scenario positivity was significantly predicted by respondents’ values. The United Kingdom–based process of “pulling strings” was rated as typical in all locations and was more positively evaluated than the other influence processes by all respondents. It is concluded that in addition to the pragmatic value of these concepts locally, their comparative testing can contribute to the development of culture-general models of social influence processes.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

ISSN

0022-0221

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Issue

1

Volume

43

Page range

135-150

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2016-06-01

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2016-06-01

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-06-01

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