DOES THE LANGUAGE OF RESPONSE INFLUENCE SELF-PRESENTATION? A NEPALESE TEST OF THE CULTURAL ACCOMMODATION HYPOTHESIS

Abstract

Responses to the Twenty Statements Test were obtained from 171 Nepalese university students assigned to respond either in English or Nepali. Contrary to the cultural accommodation hypothesis the respondents did not provide more idiocentric self-references in the English language condition. However, some language differences were found in specific aspects of the collective self. The respondents, tended to provide more small group self-references when responding in Nepali. Contrary to the Western literature there was little evidence of gender differences in self-construal. The need for finer-grained categorisation than a simple individual or collective self was emphasised.