Cultural Dimensions

Studies

Chen (2005) Terms to define

• Cultural dimensions

• Long-term

• Short-term

Chen (2005) Aim

Investigate if one’s cultural dimension (long term orientation) would affect their purchasing behaviors

Chen (2005) Procedure

• 149 bi-cultural participants (had background from both Singapore and America)

• Online study

• Randomly assigned to two conditions: Singaporean or American priming

• They were primed in order to make either their Singaporean or their American identity more salient

• Showed them a collage of 12 photos that were emblematic to the culture they were asigned to

• After looking at the collage they were asked to write down as many of the items they remebered

• They were given an online shopping scenario to buy a novel

• They were told that it would take five business days to recive the delivery

• But in addition to the standard delivery cost, they could pay extra to get the book in one day

• Asked how much they were willing to pay to recive the book in one day

• Finally they were asked to list the first three politicians that came to mind

Chen (2005) Results

• People whose American culture values were made more salient through the priming placed a higher value on faster delivery (immediate consumption) than the people whose Singaporean culture values were made more salient

• When asked to list three politicians, the people whose American culture was more salient named three American politicians, while the SIngaporean salient people listed three Singaporean politicians

Chen (2005) Evaluation

• Long term orientation played a role in their online shopping behavior

• In both cases the participants listed politicians that were relevant to the culture they were primed for

• This indicated that the priming had remained throughout the study and should discount individual differences between the groups

Cultural dimensions and studies general evaluation

• It is difficult to measure a dimension and its effect

• Confirmation bias (research bias)

• What is the difference between a dimension and one’s social identity?

• Research is often artificial

• Lacks research under natural conditions