Examining the connection between position-based power and social status across seventy cultures

Even among the most egalitarian societies, hierarchies of power and status shape social life. However, power and received status are not synonymous—individuals in positions of power may or may not be accorded the respect corresponding to their role. This study employs data from 18,096 participants across seventy cultures to investigate when position-based power is associated with elevated social status. We document that the positive link between position-based power and elevated social status characterizes most cultural regions, with the exception of WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) and Post-Soviet regions, where we found no effect on average. Additionally, the strength of the association between perceived power and social status varies significantly based on individual and cultural factors. Firstly, the perception of powerholders as benevolent contributors to their communities amplifies the positive link between position-based power and social status. Conversely, the perception of powerholders as self-interested weakens this relationship. Secondly, among cultures that endorse harmony in social interactions (Self-Expression vs. Harmony), social order and traditions (Embeddedness), and maintaining strong norms (Cultural Tightness), the association between position-based power and social status is particularly strong. Our results underline the importance of using power to benefit others and thus build and legitimize a just social order. Ultimately, as hierarchies persist in the modern world, it is crucial to demand and foster benevolent behaviors from powerholders to benefit whole societies.