Cross-Cultural Comparison of Collectivistic and Individualistic Values between China and the United States

Makiko Imamura Yan Bing Zhang University of Kansas

Introduction

• Values are cognitive structures that guide individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

• ▫ ▫ The individualism-collectivism (I-C) value orientation has been used as a major theoretical framework in cross-cultural research to explain cultural differences between the East and West.

Chinese culture = Collectivistic American culture = Individualistic

Individualistic and Collectivistic Values

• • • • • Individualistic Values • Independence Equality Competitiveness Pleasure Success Etc.

Collectivistic Values • Interpersonal Harmony • solidarity with others • • harmony with others Relational Hierarchy • loyalty to superiors • • ordering relationships by status Traditional Conservatism • • having fewer desires be content with life

In the Age of Globalization…

• The American Culture • • • • A growing number of Americans are travelling, studying, or working in East Asian cultures.

An increasing number of universities in the United States have established centers for East Asian studies to promote the East Asian values.

The establishment of Confucius institutes in the United States CNN Hero Program • The Chinese Culture • Some of the modern values such as independence, equality, competitiveness, and success have been influential among the younger and more educated segment of the Chinese society.

• • The coexistence of tradition and modernization Independence is more desired and accepted universally (e.g., Park & Guan, 2007)

Two Studies

From the perspectives of young Adults • Study 1 ▫ Compared collectivistic values (i.e., interpersonal harmony, relational hierarchy, and conservatism) between the Chinese and American participants.

• Study 2 ▫ Compared individualistic values between the Chinese and American participants.

Hypothesis for Study 1

H1 : The American participants will endorse interpersonal harmony, relational hierarchy and traditional conservatism less than the Chinese participants.

Method

• Participants ▫ ▫ 418 Chinese college students (M age = 19.51, SD = 1.52, 62.2% females) 415 American college students (M age = 20.14, SD = 2.05, 53.7% females) • Measurements (on 5-point Likert Scales) ▫ ▫ ▫ Interpersonal Harmony: 14 items (α = .77, M = 4.27, SD = .38 for China; α = .77; M = 4.11, SD = .36 for the U.S.)  e.g., tolerance of others, harmony with others, humbleness Relational Hierarchy: 8 items (α = .61, M = 3.99, SD = .42 for China; α = .65, M = 3.81, SD = .44 for the U.S.)  e.g., obedience to parents, loyalty to superiors, ordering relationships by status Conservatism: 11 items (α = .60, M = 3.18, SD = .47 for China; α = .67 M = 3.08, SD = .46 for the U.S.)  e.g., contentedness with one's position in life, thriftiness, being conservative

Results

• A 2 (gender) × 2 (cultural groups) MANOVA on the three dependent variables (i.e., harmony, hierarchy, and conservatism) was performed.

• Results indicate that … ▫ There was a significant multivariate gender main effect (F (3, 827) = 3.02, p < .05, ŋ² = .01) – Univariate ANOVA was significant only for Harmony.

▫ There was a significant cultural group membership main effect (F (3, 827) = 23.42, p < .001, ŋ² = .08) - Univariate ANOVAs were all significant. ▫ There was a significant group membership by participant gender interaction effect (F (3, 827) = 3.44, p < .05, ŋ² = .01) - Univariate ANOVAs were not significant.

Means and Standard Deviations for Collectivistic Values by Cultural Group

Value Harmony Cultural Group

M

4.27

a China

SD

.38

M

4.11

b U.S.

SD

.35

Hierarchy 4.00

a .42

3.81

b Conservatism 3.32

a .47

3.08

b Means with different superscripts differ significantly in rows .44

.46

Means and Standard Deviations for Collectivistic Values by Participants’ Gender

Value Harmony

M

4.14

a Male

SD

.38

Gender

M

4.22

b Female

SD

.37

Means with different superscripts differ significantly in rows

Hypothesis for Study 2

H1 : The American participants will endorse individualistic values more than the Chinese participants.

Method

•

Participants

▫ ▫ 192 Chinese college students (M age = 20.91, SD = 2.31, 50.5% females) 246 American college students (M age = 20.41, SD = 2.81, 66.3% females) •

Measurements (on a 7-point Likert scale)

▫ Individualistic Values: 12 items (α =.89, M = 5.73, SD = .85 for China; α =.85, M = 5.73, SD = .71 for the U.S.)  e.g., equality, competitiveness, ambition, competence, modernity, and success

Results

• • ▫ ▫ ▫ A 2 (gender) × 2 (cultural groups) ANOVA was conducted on individualism as the dependent variable. Results indicated that … There was no significant gender main effect (F (1, 434) = .61, p = .58).

There was no significant cultural group main effect (F (1, 434) = .13, p = .78).

There was no significant gender by culture interaction effect (F (1, 434) = 2.03, p = .16).

Means and Standard Deviations for Individualism by Cultural Group

Cultural Group China U.S.

Value Individualism

M

5.68

a

SD

.78

M

5.73

a Means with same superscripts did not differ significantly in rows

SD

.77

Summary of the Major Findings

• • • • Consistent with the I-C framework ▫ ▫ The American culture is individualistic The Chinese culture is collectivistic Confirming recent literature ▫ Collectivistic and individualistic values co-exist in the Chinese culture ▫ The values of relational hierarchy and traditional conservatism were not as valued as the interpersonal harmony values in both cultures Extending prior literature and contrary to H1 in Study 2 ▫ The younger and more educated segment of the Chinese society is as individualistic as the young Americans Additionally ▫ Women valued the interpersonal harmony values more than men in both cultures

Discussion: Implications of the Findings

• Influences of globalization and modernization on the values upheld by Chinese young adults: ▫ Chan and Cheng (2002) argue that China is “the fastest growing and largest potential market in the world” (p. 389). ▫ ▫ Throughout such a transformation from a socialist to a capitalist nation, Chinese value system among young generation may have shifted from emphasizing solely the collectivistic values to endorsing both collectivistic and individualistic values (Zhang & Harwood, 2004). The portrayal of modernity in domestic media and the influx of imported media from Western countries may have had a great influence on the people’s value system within a culture (Zhang & Harwood, 2002).

Discussion: Implications of the Findings

• Influences of domestic policy (e.g., one child policy) on the values of Chinese young adults: The Chinese domestic policy (i.e., one child policy) has influenced not only the family structure but also the young adults’ values systems. Consistent with the current findings, Deutsch (2006) found that Chinese young adults are more likely to live on their own, pursue their own ambitions, and rely more on the outside resources than their family.

Deutsch (2006) also found that Chinese young adults are exposed to a remarkable level of filial piety, which is a core element of collectivistic values.

Discussion: Suggestions for the Future Research

• Future studies should examine the link between values and communication behaviors ▫ Conflict management ▫ ▫ Relationship development Work ethics • Inclusion of other East Asian cultures ▫ Korean culture ▫ Japanese culture