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

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

Is an emphasis on dignity, honor and face more an attribute of individuals or of cultural groups?

This study compares the individual-level and sample-level predictive utility of a measure of the cultural logics of dignity, honor, and face. University students in 29 samples from 24 nations used a simple measure to rate their perceptions of the interpersonal cultural logic characterizing their local culture. The nomological net of these measures was then explored. Key dependent measures included three different facets of independent versus interdependent self-construal, relevant attitudes and values, reported handling of actual interpersonal conflicts, and responses to normative settings. Multilevel analyses revealed both individual- and sample-level effects but the dignity measure showed more individual-level effects, whereas sample-level effects were relatively more important with the face measure. The implications of this contrast are discussed

Personal Versus General Belief in a Just World, Karma, and Well‑Being: Evidence from Thailand and the UK

The belief in a just world (BJW) is the belief that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get. The theory and research findings suggest that believing the world is fair to “me” (personal BJW or PBJW) is associated with positive psychological functioning, whereas believing that the world is fair to people in general (general BJW or GBJW) may not. Against a backdrop of mixed findings in samples recruited in Asian countries, we conducted two studies in Thailand (N = 177 and N = 175) and one in the UK (N = 345). Study 1 examined the relationships between PBJW, GBJW, life satisfaction, and depression in Thailand; Study 2 also included Karma and was conducted in Thailand and the UK. In both studies, PBJW uniquely predicted well-being. When controlling for BJW, belief in Karma positively predicted life satisfaction and depression only in the UK sample. In addition, Karma was uniquely predicted by GBJW but more strongly so in Thailand. Furthermore, within both samples, individuals endorsed PBJW more strongly than GBJW; comparing across samples, PBJW was more strongly endorsed in the UK than Thailand, whereas GBJW was more strongly endorsed in Thailand than the UK. However, sample nationality did not moderate associations between BJW, Karma and wellbeing. Results support the cultural generality of just world theory and the psychological priority of PBJW and indicate that the cultural concept of Karma does not explain relationships between just-world beliefs and well-being

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

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

The cultural perspectives on self versus other-related just world beliefs and well-being: Evidence from two large-scale multi-level studies in Asian cities

Belief in a just world (BJW) is the belief that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get (Lerner, 1980). Theoretically, believing that the world is fair to oneself (self-related BJW) is positively associated with well-being, whereas believing that the world is fair to others (other-related BJW) may not. Previous studies in non-Western nations have yielded inconsistent findings. To address this gap, we conducted two cross-cultural studies, involving students from 26 cities (N = 7,304) and 18 cities (N = 3,895) across Asia. In both studies, self-related BJW positively predicted well-being, even after controlling for Karma. Although the moderating effects of self-construal, holistic cognition, and Karma did not consistently support the cultural specificity hypothesis, city-level holistic cognition positively moderated the associations between self-related BJW and well-being. Within interdependent cultures, results support the cultural generality of psychological functions of BJW and indicate city-level holistic cognition as the moderator

The Social Cure Properties of Groups Across Cultures : Groups Provide More Support but Have Stronger Norms and Are Less Curative in Relationally Immobile Societies

We investigate whether the social cure properties of groups vary across cultures, testing hypotheses that the associations between multiple group memberships (MGM) and depressive symptoms will (a) be mediated by social support and uncomfortable normative pressures, and (b) vary systematically with sample-level relational mobility. Analyses of data from a survey (N = 5,174) conducted within k = 29 samples show that MGM is negatively associated with depressive symptoms, an association fully mediated by social support and uncomfortable normative pressures. In line with our theorizing, in samples with higher levels of relational mobility constraints, the association between MGM and depressive symptoms is weaker, the associations between MGM and social support and between MGM and normative pressures are stronger, and the association between social support and depressive symptoms weaker. The indirect link between MGM and depressive symptoms via social support is significant at both low and high levels of relational mobility constraints