Abstract
This study compares the individual-level and sample-level predictive utility of a measure of the cultural logics of dignity, honor, and face. University students in 29 samples from 24 nations used a simple measure to rate their perceptions of the interpersonal cultural logic characterizing their local culture. The nomological net of these measures was then explored. Key dependent measures included three different facets of independent versus interdependent self-construal, relevant attitudes and values, reported handling of actual interpersonal conflicts, and responses to normative settings. Multilevel analyses revealed both individual- and sample-level effects but the dignity measure showed more individual-level effects, whereas sample-level effects were relatively more important with the face measure. The implications of this contrast are discussed.
Highlights
Attempts to characterize cultural differences over the past several decades have been dominated by varying conceptualizations of individualism and collectivism (Hofstede, 1980; House et al, 2004; Markus & Kitayama, 1991)
We introduce a brief measure of the relative emphasis placed on dignity, honor and face in different cultural groups and test the validity of this measure by exploring the nomological net of its predicted correlates
The sample-level means shown in Table 3 indicate that the cultural logic measures have strong plausubility, with 22 of 29 samples showing highest mean scores for the logic that might be expected on the basis of the prior literature
Summary
Attempts to characterize cultural differences over the past several decades have been dominated by varying conceptualizations of individualism and collectivism (Hofstede, 1980; House et al, 2004; Markus & Kitayama, 1991). The particular focus of this study is on recent studies suggesting that it is possible to contrast two variants of collectivistic cultures, within one of which there is a distinctive emphasis on the preservation of honor, and in the other, on the preservation of face (Leung & Cohen, 2011). We introduce a brief measure of the relative emphasis placed on dignity, honor and face in different cultural groups and test the validity of this measure by exploring the nomological net of its predicted correlates. We use multi-level analysis to distinguish the individual and sample-level effects attributable to the prevalence of each of these emphases.
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