Pancultural self-enhancement reloaded: A meta-analytic reply to Heine (2005)
It is a funny coincidence that so soon after I read an article arguing that dividing cultures according to individualist and collectivist constructs is futile and that geographic swaths cannot be classified according to arbitrary means, I read another article which attempts to do exactly that. Both articles make strong arguments in favor of their theory. I must admit that I am biased towards the former and I don’t really believe in attempts to generalize cultures as either individualist or collectivist, but instead, as vibrant, fluid social creations that react to the needs of each person in them.
Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea (2005) respond to claims that self-actualization is a western phenomenon with the assertion that researchers who believe such things do not understand that individualist and collectivist cultures actualize differently. Using western individualist standards of actualization with members of collectivist cultures will show that collectivist cultures cannot actualize in the same way as individualist cultures; however, it does not show that members of collectivist cultures cannot actualize (Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea, 2005).
All cultures can actualize (Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea, 2005). The critical difference is that members of individualist cultures actualize through self determination while members of collectivist cultures actualize through the collective (Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea, 2005). In order to show that cultures actualize differently depending on their culture construct, Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea (2005) did a literature review and then performed a meta-analysis on them to provide empirical evidence that all cultures actualize and do so differently. My concern is that cultural variations cannot be measured accurately. Fiske (2002) demonstrated that cultural and linguistic difficulties make establishing good measurements a near impossible task. While Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea (2005) use these measurements well to make clear their point that all cultures can actualize, that the data is possibly faulty makes Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea’s point rather moot.
Aside from the generalizations in the article regarding western/individualist and eastern/collectivist tendencies, Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea (2005) do well to point out that all cultures actualize and do so differently. Americans do not actualize in the same way as the Swedish, even though both are considered individualist cultures. In order to determine how a culture actualizes, it’s important to find what each culture values.
For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume that Deaf culture is collectivist. If we use the Fiske (2002) model, we can claim that Deaf culture is neither collectivist or individualist, but composed of a collective of people, each with different goals, but bound together by a common force. If we use the Triandis, McCusker, & Hui (1990) model, then Deaf culture is collectivist with idiocentric tendencies influenced by upbringing and affluence. Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea (2005) would point out that generally accepted research claims that Deaf culture is truly collectivist. If Deaf culture is truly collectivist, then Deaf individuals seeking to actualize do so within the context of the group. A Deaf person attempting to actualize must question his or her role in relation to the group and accept the core values of the culture and community while growing into the provided role. Therein is actualization.
Given that collectivism and individual actualization is not so cut and dried, it is likely that the actualization process differs for each individual. This would pertain more with Ladd (2003)’s theories of Deafhood.
Resources
Fiske, A.P. (2002) Using individualism and collectivism to compare cultures – A critique of the validity and measurements of the constructs: Comment on Oyserman et al. (2002). Psychological Bulletin. 128(1). 78-88. Retrieved September 15, 2006 from psycARTICLES database
Ladd, P. (2003). Understanding deaf culture: in search of deafhood. Tonawanda, NY. Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Sedikides, C., Gaertner, L., & Vevea, J.L. (2005). Pancultural self-enhancement reloaded: A meta-analytic reply to Heine (2005). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (89)4. 539-551. Retrieved September 15, 2006 from psycARTICLES database.
Triandis, H.C., McCusker, C., & Hui, C.H. (1990). Multimethod probes of individualism and collectivism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 59(5). 1006-1020. Retrieved September 15, 2006 from psycARTICLES database
It is a funny coincidence that so soon after I read an article arguing that dividing cultures according to individualist and collectivist constructs is futile and that geographic swaths cannot be classified according to arbitrary means, I read another article which attempts to do exactly that. Both articles make strong arguments in favor of their theory. I must admit that I am biased towards the former and I don’t really believe in attempts to generalize cultures as either individualist or collectivist, but instead, as vibrant, fluid social creations that react to the needs of each person in them.
Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea (2005) respond to claims that self-actualization is a western phenomenon with the assertion that researchers who believe such things do not understand that individualist and collectivist cultures actualize differently. Using western individualist standards of actualization with members of collectivist cultures will show that collectivist cultures cannot actualize in the same way as individualist cultures; however, it does not show that members of collectivist cultures cannot actualize (Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea, 2005).
All cultures can actualize (Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea, 2005). The critical difference is that members of individualist cultures actualize through self determination while members of collectivist cultures actualize through the collective (Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea, 2005). In order to show that cultures actualize differently depending on their culture construct, Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea (2005) did a literature review and then performed a meta-analysis on them to provide empirical evidence that all cultures actualize and do so differently. My concern is that cultural variations cannot be measured accurately. Fiske (2002) demonstrated that cultural and linguistic difficulties make establishing good measurements a near impossible task. While Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea (2005) use these measurements well to make clear their point that all cultures can actualize, that the data is possibly faulty makes Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea’s point rather moot.
Aside from the generalizations in the article regarding western/individualist and eastern/collectivist tendencies, Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea (2005) do well to point out that all cultures actualize and do so differently. Americans do not actualize in the same way as the Swedish, even though both are considered individualist cultures. In order to determine how a culture actualizes, it’s important to find what each culture values.
For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume that Deaf culture is collectivist. If we use the Fiske (2002) model, we can claim that Deaf culture is neither collectivist or individualist, but composed of a collective of people, each with different goals, but bound together by a common force. If we use the Triandis, McCusker, & Hui (1990) model, then Deaf culture is collectivist with idiocentric tendencies influenced by upbringing and affluence. Sedikides, Gaertiner, & Vevea (2005) would point out that generally accepted research claims that Deaf culture is truly collectivist. If Deaf culture is truly collectivist, then Deaf individuals seeking to actualize do so within the context of the group. A Deaf person attempting to actualize must question his or her role in relation to the group and accept the core values of the culture and community while growing into the provided role. Therein is actualization.
Given that collectivism and individual actualization is not so cut and dried, it is likely that the actualization process differs for each individual. This would pertain more with Ladd (2003)’s theories of Deafhood.
Resources
Fiske, A.P. (2002) Using individualism and collectivism to compare cultures – A critique of the validity and measurements of the constructs: Comment on Oyserman et al. (2002). Psychological Bulletin. 128(1). 78-88. Retrieved September 15, 2006 from psycARTICLES database
Ladd, P. (2003). Understanding deaf culture: in search of deafhood. Tonawanda, NY. Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Sedikides, C., Gaertner, L., & Vevea, J.L. (2005). Pancultural self-enhancement reloaded: A meta-analytic reply to Heine (2005). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (89)4. 539-551. Retrieved September 15, 2006 from psycARTICLES database.
Triandis, H.C., McCusker, C., & Hui, C.H. (1990). Multimethod probes of individualism and collectivism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 59(5). 1006-1020. Retrieved September 15, 2006 from psycARTICLES database
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