Collectivistic Background Research Articles

Generous, egalitarian, and competitive social values: An intercultural, intracommunity analysis of preschoolers

Social values orientation (SVO) refers to stable individual differences in the allocation of resources between self and others. In the present study, an intracommunity sample of preschool-age children was administered two economic dictator games, one pitting cooperation against selfishness and the other generosity against egalitarianism. A third game assessed competitiveness against cooperation. Results revealed that Spanish-speaking Latinx children (collectivistic family background) were more likely to make both cooperative choices and generous choices than a combined subsample of English-speaking Latinx, African American and Caucasian children (non-collectivistic background). These findings suggest that generosity rather than egalitarianism underlies the cooperative tendency of children from collectivist backgrounds. As expected, English-speaking Latinx children (mixed background) were highest on competitiveness. Contrary to predictions, neither cultural background, social values, nor their interaction were associated with teacher-rated child behavioral adjustment. Findings support SVO validity for the intracommunity sample but not its usefulness for predicting behavioral adjustment of preschool students.

How Cultural Factors Influence Empathy Levels in Specific Contexts: A Comparision Between Individualism and Collectivism

As one of the opposite cultures, people who live under individualistic and collectivistic cultures always have diverse ideologies. Basic on this, this article aims to explore the empathy difference between these two cultures. The first part of the essay provides a literature review to clarify different terminology and points out the hypothesis. Secondly, an experiment was designed to interview culturally diverse respondents. This essay selected China and Australia to represent collectivism and individualism. To get a more prosperous answer, the interviewees in this experiment are mainly undergraduates or above. The interview is scheduled mainly in two parts, one is to quote GLOBE methods to test whether the experiments are representative of individualism/collectivism. In addition, the various emphases were measured based on the progressive test. The final comparison showed that people from collectivist backgrounds have a more significant role in empathy when they encounter things and show slightly more compassion for different things than people from individualistic backgrounds.

Cultural differences in visual perceptual learning.

Cultural differences in visual perceptual learning (VPL) could be attributed to differences in the way that people from individualistic and collectivistic cultures preferentially attend to local objects (analytic) or global contexts (holistic). Indeed, individuals from different cultural backgrounds can adopt distinct processing styles and learn to differentially construct meaning from the environment. Therefore, the present work investigates if cross-cultural differences in VPL can vary as a function of holistic processing. A shape discrimination task was used to investigate whether the individualistic versus collectivistic backgrounds of individuals affected the detection of global shapes embedded in cluttered backgrounds. Seventy-seven participants-including Asian (collectivistic background) and European (individualistic background) students-were trained to discriminate between radial and concentric patterns. Singelis's self-construal scale was also used to assess whether differences in learning could be attributed to independent or interdependent self-construal. Results showed that collectivists had faster learning rates and better accuracy performance than individualists following training-thereby reflecting their tendency to attend holistically when learning to extract global forms. Further, we observed a negative association between independent self-construal-which has previously been linked to analytic processing-with performance. This study provides insight into how socio-cultural backgrounds affect VPL.

Factor Structure and Longitudinal Measurement Invariance of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-Brief on a Filipino Sample

ABSTRACT The Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale or FMPS is one of the first empirically validated measures of perfectionism. Cultural nuances demand that the efficiency of a short version of this scale, FMPS – Brief, be tested on an Asian sample. Given the wealth of studies that consistently linked perfectionism to academic achievement, research on the utility of this brief instrument especially with students from a collectivist background is needed. Confirmatory factor analysis of data from a sample of Filipino university students (N = 306) revealed that FMPS-Brief is a reliable and valid measure that can be used in an academic context. Aside from exhibiting the two-factor structure of perfectionism, the scale also displayed good internal consistency and convergent validity with another short version of a commonly used perfectionism measure, the Hewitt and Flett Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. There was also evidence for the measurement invariance of FMPS-Brief across three time points. The brief scale can be used whenever the need for a short but psychometrically sound instrument for perfectionism arises.

Self-Persuasion Increases Healthy Eating Intention Depending on Cultural Background.

Unhealthy eating behavior has become a global health risk and thus needs to be influenced. Previous research has found that self-persuasion is more effective than direct persuasion in changing attitudes and behavioral intentions, but the influence of the cultural backgrounds of those being persuaded remains unclear. We conducted two studies to investigate the effectiveness of self-persuasion and direct persuasion techniques in promoting healthy eating intention among different ethnicities in the Netherlands. Native Dutch, Moroccan–Dutch, and Turkish–Dutch participated both online and offline. Participants saw a poster with either a self-persuasion message (“Why would you choose healthier food?”) or a direct persuasion message (“Choose healthier food!”), and were then asked to report their intention to eat healthily in the upcoming month. Significant cultural differences were found between native Dutch and Moroccan–Dutch in Study 1, and between the native Dutch and Turkish-Dutch who participated offline in Study 2. Accordingly, cultural background was found to moderate the relationship between persuasion and healthy eating intention among these groups. These results provided preliminary evidence for the moderation effect of persuasion on healthy eating intention: Self-persuasion appears to be more effective for people with an individualistic background, and direct persuasion appears to be more effective for people with a collectivistic background.

Exploring the self-perception of kung fu teachers. An interpretative phenomenological analysis

The purpose of this research is to explore the nature and main characteristics of kung fu teachers from their own perceptions, and to understand martial arts from a distinctive lens, transcending a traditional focus on the physical aspects or psychological benefits, prevalent in much existing research. Thus, this article aims to address the gap by providing insight on how the teachers perceive themselves and their work. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with three Czech teachers and analysed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings uncovered four phenomena: collectivistic group membership, self-transformation, guidance and spiritual background. Several respondents expressed the belief that one of the main goals of martial arts is not only improving fighting skills but also transforming the self.

A comparison of Russian and Philippine secondary school students on their sociomotivational relationships in school: A motivation typology

ABSTRACTPrevious cross-national studies on social motivation among secondary students from individualistic societies such as Germany and Canada found four different motivation types (MT) varying in class size: (a) teacher-dependent MT, (b) peer-dependent MT, (c) teacher- and peer-dependent MT, and (d) teacher- and peer-independent MT. The current cross-national study expands the knowledge on the Motivation Typology by examining students from collectivistic countries such as the Russian Federation (n = 396) and the Philippines (n = 1014). By applying a multigroup confirmatory latent class analysis (MCLCA) in Mplus, to identify latent groups with similar response patterns, four different motivation types were confirmed, which varied in their class size considerably. While in Russia the majority of students were assigned to the teacher- and peer-dependent MT (about 57%), most of the students from the Philippines were assigned to the teacher- and peer-independent MT (about 85%). These results indicate that students from diverse collectivist backgrounds perceive their sociomotivational relationships related to motivation quite differently.

Do Japanese Youth Proactively Form Identities? An Investigation of Independent Self Formation

ABSTRACTThis article addresses the debate concerning cultural differences in independent and interdependent self formation among Japanese youth. Independent self formation is defined as any purposive action to form a self actively through individual efforts. This study provides evidence that the majority of Japanese youth, despite their culturally collectivist backgrounds, form selves individually at the level of specific activities. High levels of active self formation were found among 41% of the sample. These findings contribute to the literature on both self development and identity formation, with the finding that both independent self formation and proactive identity formation occur among a significant proportion of Japanese students.

Linking young individuals' capital to investment intentions: Comparing two cultural backgrounds

By integrating the Entrepreneurial Intentionality Model and the Theory of Planned Behaviour, we explored the effects of human, social and financial capital on young individuals' investment intentions in two groups (97 English and 97 Greeks). Results indicated that human capital is directly and indirectly related to investment intentions via, first, subjective norms and, consequently, personal attitudes and perceived behavioural control, while social capital is only indirectly related to investment intentions via perceived behavioural control. In the individualistic group (English), human capital related directly and positively with investment intentions while social capital related indirectly to investment intentions via its positive relationship to subjective norms. With regard to participants from a collectivistic background (Greeks), human capital related indirectly to investment intentions via, first, subjective norms and, consequently, personal attitudes and perceived behavioural control, while social capital related directly and indirectly to investment intentions via perceived behavioural control. Financial capital was only negatively related to investment intentions in the total and Greek sample.

When School and Family Convey Different Cultural Messages: The Experience of Turkish Minority Group Members in France

The present studies aim to compare the cultural values promoted by the French educational system and the Turkish families living in France to their youngsters. Because of their collectivist background Turkish immigrants may convey less individualistic values to their children compared to French parents and teachers. However, Turkish students may become more individualistic as they are socialized in the school system. In study 1 (N = 119), French school teachers, French parents, and Turkish-origin parents had to resolve six dilemmas by choosing either an individualistic or a collectivistic response-option. As expected, French teachers emphasized individualism more than Turkish parents, but not more than French parents. In Study 2 (N = 159), similar dilemmas were presented to French and Turkish-origin pupils. In elementary school, Turkish children were less individualistic than French-born children, but this gap was reduced in high school.

Cross-cultural differences in emotion suppression in everyday interactions.

Previous research suggests that in collectivistic cultures, people tend to suppress their emotions more than in individualistic cultures. Little research, however, has explored cross-cultural differences in emotion regulation in everyday interactions. Using a daily social interaction method, we examined whether people from collectivistic backgrounds (Chinese exchange students and immigrants from the Moluccas, Indonesia) living in the Netherlands differed from those from individualistic backgrounds (Dutch natives) in emotion suppression during everyday interactions. We also examined whether this depended on their relationship with the interaction partner(s). We found that Chinese participants suppressed positive and negative emotions more than Dutch and Moluccan participants and that this was related to differences in interdependent and independent self-construal across the samples. We also found that Chinese participants suppressed positive emotions less in interactions with close others, whereas Dutch participants suppressed negative emotions more with non-close others. No such differences were found for Moluccans. Our findings support the idea that people from collectivistic cultures suppress emotions more than those from individualistic cultures, but they also suggest that this depends on who the interaction partner is. Furthermore, they suggest that emotion suppression may change when people with collectivistic backgrounds have been raised in individualistic cultures.

Differential Links Between Expressive Suppression and Well-Being Among Chinese and Mexican American College Students.

Previous research on culture and emotion regulation has focused primarily on comparing participants from individualistic and collectivistic backgrounds (e.g., European Americans vs. Asians/Asian Americans). However, ethnic groups that are equally individualistic or collectivistic can still vary notably in cultural norms and practices regarding emotion regulation. The present study examined the association between expressive suppression and well-being in two collectivistic ethnic groups (i.e., Chinese Americans and Mexican Americans). Results indicated that suppression of positive emotions was related to lower hedonic and eudaimonic well-being among Mexican Americans but not among Chinese Americans. Moreover, post hoc analysis revealed that Mexican Americans with a stronger collective identity reported lower eudaimonic well-being when suppressing positive emotions than Mexican Americans with a weaker collective identity. Suppression of negative emotions, by contrast, was unrelated to hedonic and eudaimonic well-being for both ethnic groups. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of taking into account the role that culture and the characteristics of emotion (e.g., valence) may play in the link between emotion regulation and well-being.

Exclude Me If You Can

We examined how individualistic versus collectivistic cultural backgrounds affected the psychological experience of social exclusion. We found that Turkish, Chinese, and Indian participants (collectivistic background) differed in their experience of social exclusion from German participants (individualistic background): German participants experienced lower fulfillment of psychological needs in response to social exclusion, whereas Turkish, Chinese, and Indian participants were affected to a lesser extent (Turkey, India, Hong Kong) or not at all (mainland China) by social exclusion manipulations. Testing two different explanatory mechanisms in Study 3, we found that the difference in dealing with social exclusion was not associated with activating social representations in participants with collectivistic background but with exclusion being associated with more threat in participants with individualistic background. In Study 4, cultural differences emerged also on the physiological level: German participants’ heart rates were increased when excluded, whereas Chinese participants showed no change in heart rate during exclusion. The results are discussed regarding their implications for the role of self-construal and culture when dealing with the threat of social exclusion.

Students’ Argument Writing Failure in English: Blame it on Socio-culture System

The present paper is an outcome of a study in which the researchers evaluated and interpreted students' argument essays within the broader communicative context of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. To arrive at the sphere of influence on second language education, the researchers synthesized linguistics with socio cultural insights from scholars who view second language learners as social beings. Through a socio-cultural orientation to literacy, lecturers and students are receptors to both formal and informal influences. Hence students' discourses are not viewed solely as texts that share formal surface features, but as a manifestation of collective cognition mediated by the tools and resources that are made available and used in the social milieu. The researchers concluded that University of Venda students' limited capacity in adopting a credible and objective stance in argument writing is attributed to a collectivist background and a lack of discursive interaction that has resulted from an inadequate apprenticeship into academic discourse. As such, the English Department's efforts are being thwarted by an absence of appropriate discourse reinforcement from content disciplines and following on this, is the fact that some academics are ill equipped for the task of providing both linguistic and discipline specific knowledge scaffolding to students.

Contribution of Marital Stability to Parenting Styles: A Cross-Sectional Study of Iranian Mothers in Intact Marriages

In an extension of previous research investigating the association between marital conflict and child rearing practices, this study aimed to show how a discordant marital relationship relates to parenting methods within a collectivist context. Using a cluster sampling method, a representative sample of 336 Iranian mothers, living in intact families was surveyed. Measurements included; parenting style, marital conflict, and marital satisfaction. Mothers were also asked questions regarding their perceived control over their children’s daily lives, and the children’s tendency to engage in high-risk behaviors. Parents with the highest levels of marital conflict and the lowest levels of satisfaction, valued authoritarian parenting more often, and were less likely to adhere to authoritative methods. Regarding control, mothers in conflictual marriages were less likely to control the indoor and outdoor activities of their children. On the other hand, they expressed greater concern with respect to the engagement of their children in various high-risk behaviors. The findings are discussed in relation to the available literature and the collectivist background of Iranian society.

Evaluating Group Member Behaviour Under Individualist and Collectivist Norms

Research has shown that people in group contexts prefer group members who display collectivist as opposed to individualist behavior, but that preference is attenuated when the prevailing group norm prescribes individualism. The present study investigated this effect in people from a predominantly individualist or collectivist cultural background. Due to their greater sensitivity to contextual social cues, individuals from a collectivist background were expected to give more polarized evaluations of group members than individuals from an individualist background. Group member evaluations were gathered in samples from a collectivist and an individualist background, manipulating the prevailing group norm (individualist or collectivist) and the behavior of a hypothetical group member (individualist or collectivist). The previously observed attenuation effect in which people provided more positive evaluations of individualist behavior under an individualist, as opposed to a collectivist, group norm was found only in participants from a collectivist cultural background. Implications of our findings and the absence of an attenuation effect in the individualist sample are discussed.

Perceptions and experiences of, and outcomes for, university students in culturally diversified dyads in a computer-supported collaborative learning environment

The introduction of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), specifically into intercultural learning environments, mirrors the largely internet-based and intercultural workplace of many professionals. This paper utilized a mixed methods approach to examine differences between students’ perceptions of collaborative learning, their reported learning experiences, and learning outcomes when they collaborated in a CSCL environment working with a culturally similar or dissimilar partner. Culturally diverse student dyads worked together to perform an online learning task in the domain of life sciences. Our sample of 120 BSc and MSc students was comprised of 56 Dutch and 64 international students, representing 26 countries. The results showed that students from an individualist cultural background had a more negative perception of collaborative learning than did students with a collectivist background, regardless of group composition. For women, working in a culturally similar dyad consisting of students from an individualist cultural background resulted in a more negative perception of collaborative learning than did working in this type of group for men or women working in a culturally similar dyad consisting of students from a collectivist cultural background. Students from an individualist cultural background achieved better learning outcomes than did students with a collectivist background, regardless of group composition. These findings suggest that cultural background adds an important dimension to collaborative learning, which requires students to manage collaboration that is not only virtual but also intercultural.

Inadequate supervision or inadequate sensitivity to cultural differences in parenting? Exploring cross-cultural rates of neglect in an Australian sample

One unexpected finding from the postdoctoral fellowship I conducted on the needs and experiences of ethnic minority families in the New South Wales (NSW) child protection system in Australia, was that reports of inadequate supervision seemed high compared to their Anglo-Australian counterparts. The aim of this article was to explore this finding further. This article argues that cultural differences between individualist and collectivist cultures (which families from ethnic minority backgrounds tend to be) contribute to the differential rates of prevalence in reports of neglect. Specifically, the greater role of extended family and community in sharing parenting responsibilities (and thus the inferred reduced care from primary caregivers) and the responsibility levels of children at younger ages (and thus the inferred lack of capacity to self-care) may be contributing to reports of neglect in families from collectivist backgrounds. However, this article also argues that collectivist values that influence what is seen to be adequate parental supervision are not, in the main, harmful (especially if it is the only report for a family) because they do not normalize or perpetuate risk of harm to children. The sample size in this study is small and so caution should be exercised. Nevertheless, this article highlights that caseworkers should be careful not to mislabel the behaviours of parents from collectivist backgrounds as neglectful, because to do so is to use one standard of parenting by which to judge all families and the problems with an absolutist approach to child protection are well known indeed.

The Effects of Collectivism-Individualism on the Cooperative Learning of Motor Skill.

This study examined how cultural background (collectivism vs. individualism) affects motor skill learning in a dyadic cooperative learning environment. The research context of this study was Nintendo™ Wii Tennis. Twenty college students from a Midwestern university participated in the study, among whom half were from an individualistic culture (USA) and the other half were from a collectivistic culture (China). In the study, the participants from these two backgrounds demonstrated different interaction levels and behavioral predispositions in the cooperative learning of motor skills. Both participants of individualistic background and of collectivistic background had made significant progress in the post-exercise as compared to the pre-exercise, which corroborated the benefits of cooperative learning on motor skill learning. Nevertheless, the progress made by the participants of individualistic background was statistically larger than that made by the participants of collectivistic background. Implications and limitations of this study are discussed.

Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour

This study investigates the differences between individualism-collectivism and consumer behaviour in relation to automobile purchases. In this study the author looked at several stages of the consumer decision-making process and identified the possible differences between individualist and collectivist consumers and how it influences purchase decision. Based on a sample of 211 respondents from individualist (Australian-born) and collectivist (Asian-born) backgrounds, an established scale (Cultural Values Scale: Singelis, Triandis, Bhawuk, & Gelfand, 1995) was used to confirm the cultural values among the participants, if the respondents are aligned with the particular group (i.e. Asian-born with collectivism and Australian-born with individualism). Hypotheses were tested using independent sample t-test. Results found that there were no differences in individualism observed between Australian-born and Asian-born respondents; however, there were differences in collectivism observed between these two groups, such that Asian-born participants scored higher on collectivism. Results also found that Asian-born consumers are more brand conscious and involve a number of family/friends in their decision making. In contrast Australian-born consumers do not believe in group decision making and uses internet as the most important source of information. The findings will provide insight into how automobile companies could position themselves with respect to their marketing strategies in different cultural settings.