chapter 2 individualism & collectivism

1. Culture affects our sense of self (who we are) 

2. Human societies can be described generally as 

• Individualist (independent self) 

• Collectivist (interdependent self) 

1. Comparison : individualism & collectivism 

1. Ind. Value 

• Freedom 

• Independence 

2. Coll. Value 

• Group harmony 

• Strong loyalty to ingroups 

3. Ind. 

• Hedonistic: doing things to please or fulfill one-self 

• Opinion of others less important 

4. Coll. 

• Do things to please or bring distinction to one's ingroups  

• Opinion of ingroups very important 

5. Social exchange 

Ind : "I do for you, you do for me" 

Coll: " duty to help ingroups members" 

6. Conflict 

Ind. : bring out conflict publicly ex : confrontation, lawsuits 

Coll: conflict not brought out into the open 

7. Social regulation 

          Ind : guilt ( internal ) , not living up to one's own values 

          Coll: shame (external) , not living up to the values of ingroups 

1. Correlation of individualism and collectivism 

Individualism  

Positive 

• High gdp : indicator of economic development 

• Personal achievement 

Negative 

•  High rates of social problems 

• Loneliness and alienation 

Collectivism 

Positive 

• Lower rates of crime, drug/alcohol abuse, suicide 

Negative 

• Lower gdp 

• Dissatisfaction with many duties to ingroups