1

Psychology 307: Cultural Psychology

Lecture 8

2

Values

1. What are the major value dimensions on which cultural groups vary?

3

1. define the value dimensions identified by Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck, Hofstede and Schwartz.

By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:

2. discuss Canada’s rankings on Hofstede’s value dimensions.

3. describe Schwartz’ Circular Value Structure.

4

What are the major value dimensions on which cultural groups vary?

● Schwartz and Bilsky (1987) generated the following definition of “values”:

“Values (a) are concepts or beliefs, (b) pertain to desirable end states or behaviors, (c) transcend specific situations, (d) guide selection or evaluation of behavior and events, and (e) are ordered by relative importance.”

5

(a) Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961):

Identified 5 value dimensions on which these cultural groups varied:

● A number of studies have examined the major value dimensions on which cultures vary. These include:

Examined values among members of diverse cultural groups within the U.S. (e.g., Hispanics, Mormons, Navaho Indians, Texans).

6

Value Dimension Alternative Orientations

“Time” orientation Past, present, or future

“Man-nature” orientationSubjugation to, harmony with, or

mastery over nature

“Activity” orientation Being, becoming, or doing

“Nature of man” orientation Good, evil, or “mixed”

“Relational” orientation Collateral, lineal, or individualistic

Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s Value Dimensions

7

Value DimensionAfrican

AmericansEuropean Americans

Hispanic Americans

“Time” orientation Present Future Past

“Man-nature” orientation

Harmony with nature

Mastery over nature

Harmony with nature

“Activity” orientation Doing Doing Becoming

“Nature of man” orientation

Mixed Mixed Good

“Relational” orientation

Collateral Individualistic Collateral

Value Orientations of U.S. Cultural Groups (Ho, 1987)

8

(b) Hofstede (1980, 2001):

Identified 4 value dimensions on which these cultural groups varied: Power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, and individualism.

Examined values among IBM employees in 40 countries (e.g., Canada, China, Columbia, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, New Zealand, Poland, Uruguay, U.S., West Africa).

9

Value DimensionHighest Scoring

CountriesLowest Scoring

Countries

Power distancePhilippines, Mexico,

VenezuelaDenmark, Israel,

Austria

Uncertainty avoidanceGreece, Portugal,

BelgiumSweden, Denmark,

Singapore

MasculinityJapan, Austria,

VenezuelaNetherlands, Norway,

Sweden

IndividualismU.S., Australia,

Great BritainPakistan, Colombia,

Venezuela

Countries High and Low on Hofstede’sValue Dimensions

10

Value Dimension Maximum Score Average Score Canada’s Score

Power distance 104 55 39

Uncertainty avoidance

112 64 48

Masculinity 95 50 52

Individualism 91 43 80

Canada’s Scores on Hofstede’sValue Dimensions

11

(c) Schwartz (1999):

Examined values among individuals in 49 countries (e.g., Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Zimbabwe).

Identified 3 value dimensions on which these cultural groups varied: Mastery vs. harmony, hierarchy vs. egalitarianism, and conservatism vs. autonomy.

12

Value Dimension Highest Scoring Countries

Mastery vs.harmony

China, Zimbabwe, Greece vs. Italy, Slovenia, Mexico

Hierarchy vs. egalitarianism

China, Thailand, Turkey vs. Portugal, Italy, Spain

Conservatism vs.autonomy

Israel, Malaysia, Bulgaria vs. Switzerland, France, Spain

Countries High on Schwartz’sValue Dimensions

13

Schwartz argued that, within the circular structure, adjacent values (e.g., hierarchy and conservatism) are compatible with one another and can be simultaneously pursued by a cultural group. In contrast, opposing values (e.g., mastery and harmony) are incompatible with one another and cannot be simultaneously pursued by a cultural group.

Schwartz (1994) depicted the values that comprise the 3 dimensions in a circular structure.

14

Schwartz’s Circular Value Structure

ConservatismMastery

Hierarchy

Harmony

Autonomy

Egalitarianism

15

● Of the various value dimensions on which cultures vary, the dimension that has been most studied is Hofstede’s dimension of individualism. This

dimension is often referred to as individualism-collectivism or “IC.”

● In recent years, there has been a proliferation of research on the impact of IC on a variety of psychological constructs, including the self-concept.

16

Values

1. What are the major value dimensions on which cultural groups vary?