Final answer:
Collectivist cultures generally show distrust toward individuals outside their group due to a perception of power being held and exercised coercively by individuals. In contrast, power in these cultures is typically spread across the community and leaders influence through moral authority rather than force.
Step-by-step explanation:
People from collectivist cultures, which tend to value group harmony and consensus over individual desires, are more likely to exhibit a general distrust of others not within their group if they perceive power as being held by individuals in a coercive manner rather than a legitimate, communal context. This view contrasts with individualist cultures, where personal achievement and independence are often prioritized. In collectivist societies, power tends to be diffused across the community and leaders gain influence through persuasion and moral authority rather than coercion. Nations such as some in East Asia, Latin America, and Africa typically hold collectivist values. On the other hand, Western nations like the United States, England, and Australia score high on individualistic values, where formal positions and overt power play a more significant role.
In these collectivist communities, leadership is often situational and based on discussion and consensus rather than formal roles and systems. This collective decision-making process relies on building group consensus rather than exerting power through force. Contrast that with more centralized societies, where power is often consolidated in the hands of a formal leader, and authority is exercised through a defined structure which includes the power to enforce commands and settle conflicts.