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. 2016 Aug;145(8):966-1000.
doi: 10.1037/xge0000175. Epub 2016 Jun 30.

Beyond the 'east-west' dichotomy: Global variation in cultural models of selfhood

Vivian L Vignoles  1 Ellinor Owe  1 Maja Becker  2 Peter B Smith  1 Matthew J Easterbrook  1 Rupert Brown  1 Roberto González  3 Nicolas Didier  3 Diego Carrasco  3 Maria Paz Cadena  3 Siugmin Lay  3 Seth J Schwartz  4 Sabrina E Des Rosiers  5 Juan A Villamar  6 Alin Gavreliuc  7 Martina Zinkeng  8 Robert Kreuzbauer  9 Peter Baguma  10 Mariana Martin  11 Alexander Tatarko  12 Ginette Herman  13 Isabelle de Sauvage  13 Marie Courtois  13 Ragna B Garðarsdóttir  14 Charles Harb  15 Inge Schweiger Gallo  16 Paula Prieto Gil  16 Raquel Lorente Clemares  16 Gabriella Campara  16 George Nizharadze  17 Ma Elizabeth J Macapagal  18 Baland Jalal  19 David Bourguignon  20 Jianxin Zhang  21 Shaobo Lv  22 Aneta Chybicka  23 Masaki Yuki  24 Xiao Zhang  25 Agustín Espinosa  26 Aune Valk  27 Sami Abuhamdeh  28 Benjamin Amponsah  29 Emre Özgen  30 E Ülkü Güner  31 Nil Yamakoğlu  31 Phatthanakit Chobthamkit  32 Tom Pyszczynski  33 Pelin Kesebir  34 Elvia Vargas Trujillo  35 Paola Balanta  35 Boris Cendales Ayala  35 Silvia H Koller  36 Jas Laile Jaafar  37 Nicolay Gausel  38 Ronald Fischer  39 Taciano L Milfont  39 Ersin Kusdil  40 Selinay Çağlar  41 Said Aldhafri  42 M Cristina Ferreira  43 Kassahun Habtamu Mekonnen  44 Qian Wang  45 Márta Fülöp  46 Ana Torres  47 Leoncio Camino  47 Flávia Cristina Silveira Lemos  48 Immo Fritsche  49 Bettina Möller  50 Camillo Regalia  51 Claudia Manzi  51 Maria Brambilla  51 Michael Harris Bond  52
Affiliations

Beyond the 'east-west' dichotomy: Global variation in cultural models of selfhood

Vivian L Vignoles et al. J Exp Psychol Gen. 2016 Aug.

Abstract

Markus and Kitayama's (1991) theory of independent and interdependent self-construals had a major influence on social, personality, and developmental psychology by highlighting the role of culture in psychological processes. However, research has relied excessively on contrasts between North American and East Asian samples, and commonly used self-report measures of independence and interdependence frequently fail to show predicted cultural differences. We revisited the conceptualization and measurement of independent and interdependent self-construals in 2 large-scale multinational surveys, using improved methods for cross-cultural research. We developed (Study 1: N = 2924 students in 16 nations) and validated across cultures (Study 2: N = 7279 adults from 55 cultural groups in 33 nations) a new 7-dimensional model of self-reported ways of being independent or interdependent. Patterns of global variation support some of Markus and Kitayama's predictions, but a simple contrast between independence and interdependence does not adequately capture the diverse models of selfhood that prevail in different world regions. Cultural groups emphasize different ways of being both independent and interdependent, depending on individualism-collectivism, national socioeconomic development, and religious heritage. Our 7-dimensional model will allow future researchers to test more accurately the implications of cultural models of selfhood for psychological processes in diverse ecocultural contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record

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