Collectivist Cultures

Collectivist cultures emphasize the needs and goals of the group as a whole over the needs and desires
of each individual. In such cultures, relationships with other members of the group and the
interconnectedness between people play a central role in each person's identity.

Collectivism values personal interdependence. In collectivist cultures, people are more likely to “see
themselves as connected to others, define themselves in terms of relationships with others, and see
their characteristics as more likely to change across different contexts.” A collectivist’s sense of self is
defined more by who they are with other people, or by their membership in a group. Maintaining social
harmony, getting along with others, and meeting social expectations are more important in collectivist
cultures. They tend to communicate in indirect styles—collectivists imply what they really mean, but
might say otherwise to avoid conflict or embarrassment. Asian and African cultures tend to be more
collectivist, for example.

Collectivistic Culture Traits: A few common traits of collectivist cultures include:

 Individuals define themselves in relation to others (for example, “I am a member of…”).

 Group loyalty is encouraged.
 Decisions are based on what is best for the group.
 Working as a group and supporting others is essential.
 Greater emphasis is placed on common goals than on individual pursuits.
 The rights of families and communities comes before those of the individual.

Countries that are relatively more collectivistic include China, Korea, Japan, Costa Rica, and Indonesia.

In collectivistic cultures, people are considered "good" if they are generous, helpful, dependable, and
attentive to the needs of others. This contrasts with individualistic cultures, which often place a greater
emphasis on characteristics such as assertiveness and independence.
 Individualistic Cultures
Individualistic cultures are those that stress the needs of the individual over the needs of the group as a
whole. In this type of culture, people are seen as independent and autonomous. Social behavior tends to
be dictated by the attitudes and preferences of individuals. Cultures in North America and Western
Europe tend to be individualistic.

Individualism values personal independence. Within individualist cultures, people are more likely to “see
themselves as separate from others, define themselves based on their personal traits, and see their
characteristics as relatively stable and unchanging.” An individualist’s sense of self is defined more by
who they are on the “inside,” minimizing the influence of factors, contexts, and people “outside” the
individual. Individualists tend to communicate in direct styles—they say what they mean, prioritizing
that information is conveyed explicitly and unambiguously. European and “Western” cultures are
typically more individualist.

Individualistic Culture Traits: A few common characteristics of individualistic cultures include:

 Being dependent upon others is often considered shameful or embarrassing

 Independence is highly valued
 Individual rights take center stage
 People often place a greater emphasis on standing out and being unique
 People tend to be self-reliant
 The rights of individuals tend to take a higher precedence

In individualistic cultures, people are considered "good" if they are strong, self-reliant, assertive, and
independent. This contrasts with collectivist cultures where characteristics like being self-sacrificing,
dependable, generous, and helpful to others are of greater importance.

A few countries that are considered individualistic cultures include the United States, Germany, Ireland,
South Africa, and Australia.