Personality Correlates of Allocentric Tendencies in Individualist and Collectivist Cultures

The present study examines personality correlates of personal collectivism (allocentrism) both in an individualist culture (the United States) and in collectivist cultures (Korea and Japan). It was expected those with higher allocentric tendencies would be more concerned with rewards and punishments from in-group members and thus have a lower need for being unique as compared to those with lower allocentric tendencies. Undergraduates in the three countries were administered a Collectivism Scale, the Affiliative Tendency and Sensitivity to Rejection Scale, and the Need for Uniqueness Scale. The results confirmed that allocentric tendencies are associated with higher affiliative tendency, higher sensitivity to rejection, and lower need for uniqueness in all of the three countries. These results support the concurrent validity of the Collectivism Scale across cultures.

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