Difference Between Individualism And Collectivism

Individualism and Collectivism

Self-Concept: Who am I? This is something that can not be easily answered. There are many aspects that go into the complicated “Self”. However, it is mostly influenced by the culture that we live in. Some cultures are more individualistic; meaning more independent. One’s identity is more about their personal abilities, traits and values (Myers, 2015). Individualist cultures can be found in The United States, and Western cultures. On the other hand, there are collectivist cultures which can be found in areas like Asia, Africa, and Central and South America (Myers, 2015). Collectivist cultures tend to identify themselves with the group they are in and do not have a need for positive self-regard. Social positions are more based on age, sex, and family names instead of personal accomplishments like in individualist cultures

Through the process of enculturation children and infants learn the culture of those around them and it affects the way we see ourselves. In individualistic cultures, people are more likely to have an independent view of themselves. Growing up in a Western culture, many children were told to express themselves and be unique individuals. Expressions through writing, what you buy, the choices you make. (Myers, 2015). This means as they grow up, they see themselves as separate from others and define themselves based on their personal traits and tend to see their characteristics as stable and unchanging. Therefore, they have an independent self-concept. However, this is not the same for people who grow up in a collectivist culture. For example, expressing themselves is more focused on goals for self-acceptance and community contribution (Kim et al., 2003). Parents teach their kids to identify with their group instead of just themselves. This gives them a sense of strong obligation to the group and gives them an interdependent