Socio Cultural Contd

SOCIO-
CULTURAL
VIEWS OF
THE SELF
continued
Individualis • Individualists give priority to personal goals over the goals of
collectives. Independent cultures encourage people to be who
m
they really are (honest thoughts and emotions); be independent
(e.g. once 18, Americans move out from their parents’ house)
individual success, take care of oneself, express ind identity
• Each person is an autonomous ind deserving of respect and
dignity equal to that of all others, which entails the freedom to
pursue ends of his/her own design provided that this does not
abrogate the similar freedom of others
vs. • But aren’t we social creatures? Don’t we need community in

order to flourish?
• Collectivists either make no distinctions between personal and
Collectivism
collective goals, or if they do make such distinctions, they
subordinate their personal goals to the collective goals.
(Encourages people to have harmonious relationships, “I see
myself connected to others”) group success, take care of each
other, restrain self to fit in with the group (conformity)
Individualis • Although the terms individualism and collectivism should be
used to characterize cultures and societies, the terms idiocentric
m
and allocentric should be used to characterize individuals.
• In addition to subordinating personal to collective goals,
collectivists tend to be concerned about the results of their
actions on members of their ingroups, tend to share resources
with ingroup members, feel interdependent with ingroup
members, and feel involved in the lives of ingroup members.
vs.
Collectivism
Individualis • In collectivist cultures, role relationships that include
ingroup members are perceived as more nurturant,
m
respectful, and intimate than they are in individualistic
cultures. In other words, more ingroup social relationships
are communal in the collectivist and more exchange
relationships can be found in the individualist cultures.
Outgroup relationships follow exchange pattern
• The attributes of communal and exchange relationships
involve a number of contrasts, such as (a) lack of clarity
vs. versus clarity about what is to be exchanged, and when
and where, (b) concern for the other person's needs versus
concern for equity, (c) importance of maintaining equality
of affect (if one is sad, the other is sad) as opposed to
Collectivism emotional detachment, (d) inequality of the benefits

exchanged versus equality or equity bases of the benefits
exchanged, and (e) benefits are not comparable versus
benefits are comparable.terns everywhere.
Individualis • As discussed earlier, over the course of cultural
evolution there has been a shift toward individualism
m (i.e., exchange relationships). Content analyses of

social behaviors recorded in written texts
(Adamopoulos & Bontempo, 1986) across historical
periods show a shift from communal to exchange
relationships. Behaviors related to trading are
characteristic of individualistic cultures, and contracts
vs. emancipated individuals from the bonds of tribalism
(Pearson, 1977).
• Child-rearing patterns are different in collectivist and
Collectivism
individualist cultures. The primary concern of parents in
collectivist cultures is obedience, reliability, and proper
behavior. The primary concern of parents in
individualistic cultures is self reliance, independence,
and creativity.
Individualis • Very individualistic cultures such as the United States,
the childrearing pattern emphasizes self-reliance and
m independence; children are allowed a good deal of

autonomy and are encouraged to explore their
environment. Similarly, creativity and self actualization
are more important traits and are emphasized in child-
rearing in the professional social classes
vs.
Collectivism
Social Class
• Very much a cultural influence; talking here about
common socioeconomic status
• Low, working, middle, or upper class
• (People who have) Higher income, education, and status
provide more opportunities to be independent
- less need to rely on others (they have all the resources
they need)
- more likely to embrace an individualistic outlook
• People who have lower income, less education, less
status, they essentially have more of a need to be
interdependent; almost like a forced interdependence,
hard interdependence
- they need to be more reliant on others
- more likely to embrace a collectivistic outlook
• Within our culture, there is a continuum ranging from
independence to interdependence.
Social • In general, we feel that our groups are better and more
deserving than other groups (country, school, religion)
Identity • “ a person’s sense of who they are based on their

membership/s” --- as individuals, we exist within a
Theory
variety of groups that make us who we are
• Tajfel and Turner (social psychologists) were interested
in how people exist and interact
• This theory would essentially make two predictions
- ingroup favoritism enhances self esteem
Tajfel & Turner - threats to one’s self esteem increase perceive need
for ingroup favoritism
• Ingroup favoritism seems to be somewhat culturally
dependent --- collectivists are more likely link their
personal identities with their social roles than
individualists
Social • Three categories
i. Social Categorization – deciding what group/s the
Identity individual belong to --- an ind can belong to many groups

at one time
Theory ii. Social Identification – determining how compatible the ind

is with a group --- they have to make sure that they fit in
within the norms of the group, to see if they should join;
once they identify with the group, they develop an
emotional significance on which their self esteem then
depends on
Tajfel & Turner iii. Social Comparison – making comparisons bet ingroup and
outgroup to enhance self esteem
Tajfel viewed groups as positive; the social comparison aspect of

this theory will lead to the improvement of the individual for the
overall improvement of the group
Social • Collectivists are more likely to recognize that their ingroups
have positive and negative qualities --- have more complete
Identity
and holistic view of their own ingroup; they are less likely to
show ingroup favoritism when their self-esteem is
Theory
threatened
Tajfel & Turner

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SOCIO-

vs. • But aren’t we social creatures? Don’t we need community in

Collectivism emotional detachment, (d) inequality of the benefits

m (i.e., exchange relationships). Content analyses of

m independence; children are allowed a good deal of

Identity • “ a person’s sense of who they are based on their

Identity individual belong to --- an ind can belong to many groups

Theory ii. Social Identification – determining how compatible the ind

Tajfel viewed groups as positive; the social comparison aspect of

Tajfel & Turner

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