THE ONE; THE MANY…THE ONE; THE MANY…Individualism and collectivism: Individualism and collectivism:

Cross-cultural perspectives on self-Cross-cultural perspectives on self-ingroup relationshipsingroup relationships

Triandis, et. AlTriandis, et. Al

Leah Brown, Elizabeth Flockhart, Leah Brown, Elizabeth Flockhart, Denise Rye, Celeste Smith, Amy SturmDenise Rye, Celeste Smith, Amy Sturm

BackgroundBackground

• ““Behavior never occurs in a Behavior never occurs in a vacuum”(211)vacuum”(211)

• ExamplesExamples– Personal spacePersonal space– FriendshipFriendship– Parenting stylesParenting styles– Family dynamicsFamily dynamics

BackgroundBackground

• Theory: Individualism-Collectivism ModelTheory: Individualism-Collectivism Model– Used to explain large amounts of variation Used to explain large amounts of variation

seen in human behavior, social interaction, and seen in human behavior, social interaction, and personalitypersonality

– Explain differences in people and/or groupsExplain differences in people and/or groups

• How?How?– Collectivist Cultures: individual needs, desires, Collectivist Cultures: individual needs, desires,

etc. are secondary to those of the group (Asia)etc. are secondary to those of the group (Asia)– Individualistic Cultures: Higher value on the Individualistic Cultures: Higher value on the

needs and accomplishments of the individual needs and accomplishments of the individual rather than the group (United States)rather than the group (United States)

MethodMethod

• Three studiesThree studies

• Self-report questionnairesSelf-report questionnaires

• Hypothetical vignettesHypothetical vignettes

Study #1Study #1

• 300 Psych. Undergrads from U of Chicago300 Psych. Undergrads from U of Chicago

• 158 item questionnaire measuring 158 item questionnaire measuring tendency toward collectivism vs. tendency toward collectivism vs. individualistic beliefs and behaviorsindividualistic beliefs and behaviors

• Five scenarios-hypothetical social Five scenarios-hypothetical social situationssituations

FindingsFindings• 50% of variation in responses 50% of variation in responses

explained by three factorsexplained by three factors– Self-relianceSelf-reliance– CompetitionCompetition– Distance from in-groupsDistance from in-groups

• 14% explained by “concern for 14% explained by “concern for ingroup”ingroup”

• There is more concern for an There is more concern for an individual’s own self than for the groupindividual’s own self than for the group

Study # 2Study # 2

• 91 students from U. of Chicago91 students from U. of Chicago

• 97 Puerto Rican students97 Puerto Rican students

• 150 Japanese students150 Japanese students

• 106 older Japanese individuals106 older Japanese individuals

Study #2Study #2

• 144 item questionnaire measuring 144 item questionnaire measuring collectivist characteristicscollectivist characteristics

• Items from questionnaire show Items from questionnaire show previous studies deal with three previous studies deal with three collectivist-related tendenciescollectivist-related tendencies– Concern for in-groupConcern for in-group– Closeness of self to in-groupCloseness of self to in-group– Subordination of own goals to in-group Subordination of own goals to in-group

goalsgoals

FindingsFindings

• Japanese students more concerned with Japanese students more concerned with opinions of friends and coworkers in opinions of friends and coworkers in relation to U. of Chicago. No relation relation to U. of Chicago. No relation between Puerto Rican students and othersbetween Puerto Rican students and others

• Japanese students found less conformity Japanese students found less conformity than Chicago students because of than Chicago students because of WesternizingWesternizing– Evidence that this has changed: the 106 older Evidence that this has changed: the 106 older

Japanese individuals showed more conformityJapanese individuals showed more conformity

Warnings for Study #2Warnings for Study #2

““Conclusions about collectivist and Conclusions about collectivist and individualistic cultures shouldn’t be individualistic cultures shouldn’t be

overly sweeping and must be overly sweeping and must be carefully applied to selective, specific carefully applied to selective, specific

behaviors, situations, and behaviors, situations, and cultures”(216)cultures”(216)

Study #3Study #3

• Attempt to restrict and sharpen Attempt to restrict and sharpen research focusresearch focus

• Extending previous findingsExtending previous findings• 72 items, 100 subjects72 items, 100 subjects• Comparison between U. of Chicago Comparison between U. of Chicago

and U. of Puerto Ricoand U. of Puerto Rico• Answered questions about perceived Answered questions about perceived

amount of social support and amount of social support and perceived amount of lonelinessperceived amount of loneliness

FindingsFindings

• Collectivism was positively correlated Collectivism was positively correlated with social supportwith social support

• Collectivism was negatively Collectivism was negatively associated with lonelinessassociated with loneliness

• American students most variance American students most variance resulted from “self-reliance with resulted from “self-reliance with competition”competition”

• Puerto Ricans were influenced by Puerto Ricans were influenced by “affiliation”“affiliation”

In Summary…In Summary…

• The studies supported the theory, The studies supported the theory, but there were changes in the but there were changes in the definition of collectivism and definition of collectivism and individualismindividualism

• Individualism and collectivism Individualism and collectivism previously seen as opposites, but previously seen as opposites, but Triandis explains it as a continuumTriandis explains it as a continuum

Collectivist-individualistic Collectivist-individualistic cultural continuumcultural continuum

SignificanceSignificance

• A little discussion…A little discussion…– What significance What significance

do you find from do you find from Triandis’ findings?Triandis’ findings?

• HealthHealth

• EducationEducation

• Childrearing & Childrearing & ParentingParenting

Recent ApplicationsRecent Applications

• This study cited in over 200 other This study cited in over 200 other articles in a variety of scientific fieldsarticles in a variety of scientific fields

• Theory applied to self-esteem studiesTheory applied to self-esteem studies

• Theory applied in a cross-cultural Theory applied in a cross-cultural approach to look at children’s approach to look at children’s reactions to people with disabilitiesreactions to people with disabilities

Important Application of Important Application of TheoryTheory

Theory doesn’t only have to be applied Theory doesn’t only have to be applied to comparisons between countries, to comparisons between countries, but can be applied within countriesbut can be applied within countries

More Discussion…More Discussion…

• What states would you predict have What states would you predict have more collectivist or more more collectivist or more individualistic tendencies?individualistic tendencies?

• Do you see any possible faults with Do you see any possible faults with this study? What could you do to this study? What could you do to improve it?improve it?

• Do these findings apply to you, and Do these findings apply to you, and do you think you can be categorized do you think you can be categorized as an individualistic or collectivist?as an individualistic or collectivist?