TY - JOUR
T1 - Culture and the distinctiveness motive
T2 - Constructing identity in individualistic and collectivistic contexts
AU - Becker, Maja
AU - Vignoles, Vivian L.
AU - Owe, Ellinor
AU - Brown, Rupert
AU - Smith, Peter B.
AU - Easterbrook, Matt
AU - Herman, Ginette
AU - De Sauvage, Isabelle
AU - Bourguignon, David
AU - Torres, Ana
AU - Camino, Leoncio
AU - Lemos, Flávia Cristina Silveira
AU - Ferreira, M. Cristina
AU - Koller, Silvia H.
AU - Gonzãlez, Roberto
AU - Carrasco, Diego
AU - Cadena, Maria Paz
AU - Lay, Siugmin
AU - Wang, Qian
AU - Bond, Michael Harris
AU - Trujillo, Elvia Vargas
AU - Balanta, Paola
AU - Valk, Aune
AU - Mekonnen, Kassahun Habtamu
AU - Nizharadze, George
AU - Fülöp, Marta
AU - Regalia, Camillo
AU - Manzi, Claudia
AU - Brambilla, Maria
AU - Harb, Charles
AU - Aldhafri, Said
AU - Martin, Mariana
AU - Macapagal, Ma Elizabeth J.
AU - Chybicka, Aneta
AU - Gavreliuc, Alin
AU - Buitendach, Johanna
AU - Gallo, Inge Schweiger
AU - Özgen, Emre
AU - Gäner, Ülkä E.
AU - Yamakoǧlu, Nil
PY - 2012/4
Y1 - 2012/4
N2 - The motive to attain a distinctive identity is sometimes thought to be stronger in, or even specific to, those socialized into individualistic cultures. Using data from 4,751 participants in 21 cultural groups (18 nations and 3 regions), we tested this prediction against our alternative view that culture would moderate the ways in which people achieve feelings of distinctiveness, rather than influence the strength of their motivation to do so. We measured the distinctiveness motive using an indirect technique to avoid cultural response biases. Analyses showed that the distinctiveness motive was not weaker-and, if anything, was stronger-in more collectivistic nations. However, individualism-collectivism was found to moderate the ways in which feelings of distinctiveness were constructed: Distinctiveness was associated more closely with difference and separateness in more individualistic cultures and was associated more closely with social position in more collectivistic cultures. Multilevel analysis confirmed that it is the prevailing beliefs and values in an individual's context, rather than the individual's own beliefs and values, that account for these differences.
AB - The motive to attain a distinctive identity is sometimes thought to be stronger in, or even specific to, those socialized into individualistic cultures. Using data from 4,751 participants in 21 cultural groups (18 nations and 3 regions), we tested this prediction against our alternative view that culture would moderate the ways in which people achieve feelings of distinctiveness, rather than influence the strength of their motivation to do so. We measured the distinctiveness motive using an indirect technique to avoid cultural response biases. Analyses showed that the distinctiveness motive was not weaker-and, if anything, was stronger-in more collectivistic nations. However, individualism-collectivism was found to moderate the ways in which feelings of distinctiveness were constructed: Distinctiveness was associated more closely with difference and separateness in more individualistic cultures and was associated more closely with social position in more collectivistic cultures. Multilevel analysis confirmed that it is the prevailing beliefs and values in an individual's context, rather than the individual's own beliefs and values, that account for these differences.
KW - Culture
KW - Distinctiveness
KW - Identity
KW - Individualistic cultures
KW - Motivation
KW - Self-concept
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864517107&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84864517107&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/a0026853
DO - 10.1037/a0026853
M3 - Article
C2 - 22288530
AN - SCOPUS:84864517107
SN - 0022-3514
VL - 102
SP - 833
EP - 855
JO - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
JF - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
IS - 4
ER -