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Unequal relationships in high and low power distance societies: a comparative study of tutor - student role relations in Britain and China
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Spencer-Oatey, Helen (1997) Unequal relationships in high and low power distance societies: a comparative study of tutor - student role relations in Britain and China. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Vol.28 (No.3). pp. 284-302. doi:10.1177/0022022197283005 ISSN 0022-0221.
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022022197283005
Abstract
This study investigated people's conceptions of an unequal role relationship in two different types of society: a high power distance society and a low power distance society. The study focuses on the role relationship of tutor and student. British and Chinese tutors and postgraduate students completed a questionnaire that probed their conceptions of degrees of power differential and social distance/closeness in this role relationship. ANOVA results yielded a significant nationality effect for both aspects. Chinese respondents judged the relationship to be closer and to have a greater power differential than did British respondents. Written comments on the questionnaire and interviews with 9 Chinese academics who had experienced both British and Chinese academic environments supported the statistical findings and indicated that there are fundamental ideological differences associated with the differing conceptions. The results are discussed in relation to Western and Asian concepts of leadership and differing perspectives on the compatibility/incompatibility of power and distance/closeness.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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Subjects: | L Education > LB Theory and practice of education | ||||
Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Applied Linguistics | ||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Tutors and tutoring -- Great Britain, Tutors and tutoring -- China, Teacher-student relationships -- Great Britain, Teacher-student relationships -- China, Interpersonal relations, Graduate students -- Supervision of -- Great Britain, Graduate students -- Supervision of -- China | ||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology | ||||
Publisher: | Sage Publications, Inc. | ||||
ISSN: | 0022-0221 | ||||
Official Date: | May 1997 | ||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | Vol.28 | ||||
Number: | No.3 | ||||
Page Range: | pp. 284-302 | ||||
DOI: | 10.1177/0022022197283005 | ||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access |
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