INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS - ATTRACTION - CULTURAL DIMENSIONS (Berry 1967)
20 important questions on INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS - ATTRACTION - CULTURAL DIMENSIONS (Berry 1967)
What does the Uncertainty Avoidance Index measure?
What were the conformity scores for the Inuit and Scots?
- Inuit (individualistic):
- Traditional: 2.75
- Transitional: 2.25
- Scots (mixed):
- Rural: 4.00
- Urban: 3.85
How do masculine cultures differ from feminine cultures in terms of motivation towards achievement and success?
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What method of research was used in the study?
- Quasi-experiment: Participants pre-assigned to cultural groups; no random allocation.
- Used a standardized task (line judgment) adapted from the Asch conformity paradigm.
- Administered individually (each person alone in a room).
Which group had the highest and lowest conformity, and was there a significant difference within each culture?
- Temne (collectivistic) had the highest conformity.
- Inuit (individualistic) had the lowest conformity, even lower than Scots.
- No significant difference between traditional and transitional within each culture.
What was the aim of Berry's (1967) study on conformity?
What are the strengths of the study?
- Cross-cultural comparison: Contrasts collectivistic vs. individualistic societies.
- Standardized task: Asch paradigm is replicable and reliable.
- Native language administration: Controlled for language barriers.
- Control group (Scots): Allowed comparison with a Western culture.
- Quantitative data: Clear scores allow statistical comparison.
What characterizes societies with Short Term Orientation?
What is the definition of the term "culture" and "cultural norms"?
- Culture: Shared system of beliefs, values, customs, behaviours, and artefacts that characterise a social group.
- Cultural norms: Specific rules and written expectations within that culture that dictate what is considered appropriate or inappropriate, shaping social conduct and interactions.
What were the results of Berry's study regarding collectivism and individualism?
- Temne (collectivistic) had the highest conformity (much more likely to follow the wrong group hint).
- Inuit (individualistic) had the lowest conformity, even lower than Scots.
- No significant difference between traditional and transitional within each culture → Western exposure did not change conformity rates.
What were the independent and dependent variables in the study?
- Independent variable (IV): Cultural type (Temne/Inuit/Scot) AND level of tradition (traditional vs. transitional).
- Dependent variable (DV): The number of lines that the participants were away from the correct line.
How do indulgence cultures view life and personal freedom?
What are cultural dimensions and how are they explained in Hofstede's theory?
- Cultural dimensions: Scales or continuums of characteristics, beliefs, or behaviours used to measure or characterise a particular culture or subcultural group.
- They refer to the values of members of a society living within a particular culture.
How was the sample structured in Berry's study?
- 120 participants per culture, split into traditional and transitional groups.
- Temne: Traditional 90, Transitional 32.
- Inuit: Traditional 91, Transitional 31.
- Scots: Rural 62, Urban 60.
What control variables were maintained in the study?
- Same task (line-matching) for all groups.
- Same number of trials and instructions structure.
- Instructions in native language with pre-translated script (controlled language).
- Same experimenter behavior and hint format across groups.
- Same setting (individual, quiet room).
How do individualistic and collectivist cultures differ according to Hofstede's cultural dimensions?
- Individualism: Preference for independence, self-reliance, celebrating personal accomplishments, seeing work relationships as business; common in Australia, UK, US.
- Collectivism: Loyalty to the group, prioritising group interest, seeing work relationships as family; common in Pakistan, Venezuela, China.
What sampling method was used in Berry's study?
What were the key results for the Temne culture in terms of average conformity score?
- Temne (collectivistic) culture results:
- Traditional: 9.04
- Transitional: 8.61
Describe the characteristics of high power distance cultures.
- Cultures with high power distance embrace hierarchy, respect authority, accept inequality, and tend to have centralized decision making. Emphasis on status symbols and formality in communication is common.
Describe the characteristics of low power distance cultures.
- Cultures with low power distance question authority, have participatory decision making, value approachable leaders, and tend to be more informal. Social mobility is higher, and status symbols are less important.
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