19 research outputs found
Sex differences in self-construal and in depressive symptoms: predictors of cross-national variation
Sex differences in aspects of independent versus interdependent self-construal and depressive symptoms were surveyed among 5,320 students from 24 nations. Men were found to perceive themselves as more self-contained whereas women perceived themselves as more connected to others. No significant sex differences were found on two further dimensions of self-construal, or on a measure of depressive symptoms. Multilevel modeling was used to test the ability of a series of predictors derived from a social identity perspective and from evolutionary theory to moderate sex differences. Contrary to most prior studies of personality, sex differences in self-construal were larger in samples from nations scoring lower on the Gender Gap Index, and the Human Development Index. Sex differences were also greater in nations with higher pathogen prevalence, higher self-reported religiosity, and in nations with high reported avoidance of settings with strong norms. The findings are discussed in terms of the interrelatedness of self-construals and the cultural contexts in which they are elicited and the distinctiveness of student samples
Anger and disgust shape judgments of social sanctions across cultures, especially in high individual autonomy societies
Need for approval from others and face concerns as predictors of interpersonal conflict outcome in 29 cultural groups
The extent to which culture moderates the effects of need for approval from others on a person's handling of interpersonal conflict was investigated. Students from 24 nations rated how they handled a recent interpersonal conflict, using measures derived from face-negotiation theory. Samples varied in the extent to which they were perceived as characterised by the cultural logics of dignity, honour, or face. It was hypothesised that the emphasis on harmony within face cultures would reduce the relevance of need for approval from others to face-negotiation concerns. Respondents rated their need for approval from others and how much they sought to preserve their own face and the face of the other party during the conflict. Need for approval was associated with concerns for both self-face and other-face. However, as predicted, the association between need for approval from others and concern for self-face was weaker where face logic was prevalent. Favourable conflict outcome was positively related to other-face and negatively related to self-face and to need for approval from others, but there were no significant interactions related to prevailing cultural logics. The results illustrate how particular face-threatening factors can moderate the distinctive face-concerns earlier found to characterise individualistic and collectivistic cultural groups
Perceptions of the appropriate response to norm violation in 57 societies
An Author Correction to this article: DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22955-x.Norm enforcement may be important for resolving conflicts and promoting cooperation. However, little is known about how preferred responses to norm violations vary across cultures and across domains. In a preregistered study of 57 countries (using convenience samples of 22,863 students and non-students), we measured perceptions of the appropriateness of various responses to a violation of a cooperative norm and to atypical social behaviors. Our findings highlight both cultural universals and cultural variation. We find a universal negative relation between appropriateness ratings of norm violations and appropriateness ratings of responses in the form of confrontation, social ostracism and gossip. Moreover, we find the country variation in the appropriateness of sanctions to be consistent across different norm violations but not across different sanctions. Specifically, in those countries where use of physical confrontation and social ostracism is rated as less appropriate, gossip is rated as more appropriate.Peer reviewe
Changes in social norms during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic across 43 countries
The emergence of COVID-19 dramatically changed social behavior across societies and contexts. Here we study whether social norms also changed. Specifically, we study this question for cultural tightness (the degree to which societies generally have strong norms), specific social norms (e.g. stealing, hand washing), and norms about enforcement, using survey data from 30,431 respondents in 43 countries recorded before and in the early stages following the emergence of COVID-19. Using variation in disease intensity, we shed light on the mechanisms predicting changes in social norm measures. We find evidence that, after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, hand washing norms increased while tightness and punishing frequency slightly decreased but observe no evidence for a robust change in most other norms. Thus, at least in the short term, our findings suggest that cultures are largely stable to pandemic threats except in those norms, hand washing in this case, that are perceived to be directly relevant to dealing with the collective threat
Anger and disgust shape judgments of social sanctions across cultures, especially in high individual autonomy societies
When someone violates a social norm, others may think that some sanction would be appropriate. We examine how the experience of emotions like anger and disgust relate to the judged appropriateness of sanctions, in a pre-registered analysis of data from a large-scale study in 56 societies. Across the world, we find that individuals who experience anger and disgust over a norm violation are more likely to endorse confrontation, ostracism and, to a smaller extent, gossip. Moreover, we find that the experience of anger is consistently the strongest predictor of judgments of confrontation, compared to other emotions. Although the link between state-based emotions and judgments may seem universal, its strength varies across countries. Aligned with theoretical predictions, this link is stronger in societies, and among individuals, that place higher value on individual autonomy. Thus, autonomy values may increase the role that emotions play in guiding judgments of social sanctions
Need for approval from others and face concerns as predictors of interpersonal conflict outcome in 29 cultural groups
The extent to which culture moderates the effects of need for approval from others on a person´s handling of interpersonal conflict was investigated. Students from 24 nations rated how they handled a recent interpersonal conflict, using measures derived from face-negotiation theory. Samples varied in the extent to which they were perceived as characterised by the cultural logics of dignity, honour, or face. It was hypothesised that the emphasis on harmony within face cultures would reduce the relevance of need for approval from others to face-negotiation concerns. Respondents rated their need for approval from others and how much they sought to preserve their own face and the face of the other party during the conflict. Need for approval was associated with concerns for both self-face and other-face. However, as predicted, the association between need for approval from others and concern for self-face was weaker where face logic was prevalent. Favourable conflict outcome was positively related to other-face and negatively related to self-face and to need for approval from others, but there were no significant interactions related to prevailing cultural logics. The results illustrate how particular face-threatening factors can moderate the distinctive face-concerns earlier found to characterise individualistic and collectivistic cultural groups.Fil: Lun, Vivian Miu Chi. Lingnan University; Hong KongFil: Smith, Peter B.. University of Sussex; Reino UnidoFil: Grigoryan, Lusine. University of York; Reino UnidoFil: Torres, Claudio. Universidade do Brasília; BrasilFil: Papastylianou, Antonia. National And Kapodistrian University of Athens; GreciaFil: Lopukhova, Olga G.. Kazan Federal University; RusiaFil: Sunar, Diane. Istanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi; TurquíaFil: Easterbrook, Matthew J.. University of Sussex; Reino UnidoFil: Koc, Yasin. University of Groningen; Países BajosFil: Selim, Heyla A.. King Saud University; Arabia SauditaFil: Chobthamkit, Phatthanakit. Thammasat University; TailandiaFil: Chaleeraktrakoon, Trawin. Thammasat University; TailandiaFil: Gul, Pelin. University of Groningen; Países BajosFil: Perez Floriano, Lorena. Universidad Diego Portales; ChileFil: Diaz Loving, Rolando. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Kwantes, Catherine T.. University Of Windsor; CanadáFil: Yuki, Masaki. Hokkaido University; JapónFil: Ogusu, Natsuki. Hokkaido University; JapónFil: van Osch, Yvette. Tilburg University; Países BajosFil: Efremova, Maria. Hse University; RusiaFil: Delfino, Gisela Isabel. Universidad Pontificia Comillas; España. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gamsakhurdia, Vladimer. Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University; GeorgiaFil: Gavreliuc, Alin. West University of Timisoara; RumaniaFil: Gavreliuc, Dana. West University of Timisoara; RumaniaFil: Gunsoy, Ceren. Rhodes University; SudáfricaFil: Díaz Rivera, Paola Eunice. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Hakobjanyan, Anna. Yerevan State University; Armeni