Chapter 20 - Culture

Question 1

Four approaches to culture

Answer 1

• configurationalist approach
• basic and modal personality approach
• national characteristic approach
• Hofstede approach

Question 2

Configurationalist approach

Answer 2

personality is culture, culture takes on character of all its members’ personalitities
>differences in culture: result of cultural personality types
> studied through the individual (= each individual microcosm of the culture in which they live)

Question 3

Basic and modal personality structure approach

Answer 3

= focus on identifying common, shared traits or patterns within a cultural group to describe a typical or modal personality structure prevalent in that specific culture.
- compares traits of the individuals of each society to achieve a basic personality for each culture

Question 4

Modal personality approach

Answer 4

> as a criticism to the basic personality approach
looking at the characteristics of groups that were most frequently encountered within a society (Statistical modal) –> wider range of characteristics to be identified!

Question 5

National character

Answer 5

Shared perception of personality characteristics typical of citizens of a nation
- Personality-related characteristics about which people have a shared opinion if asked to make a judgment

> no valid national characters (no relation to the actual personality type of individuals within these countries)!!!

Question 6

Hofstede

Answer 6

1. Low vs. High power distance
2. Individualism vs. Collectivism
3. Masculinity vs. Femininity
4. Uncertainty avoidance
5. long-term / short-term orientation
   (6. Indulgence)

Question 7

Individualism vs. Collectivism

Answer 7

• Individualism: social and cultural outlook emphasizing independence and self-reliance, promotion of individual’s desires and goals
• Collectivism: social and cultural outlook emphasizing the communal aspects of the culture (community, group and cultural goals)

Question 8

Low vs. high power distance

Answer 8

extent to which less powerful members of a culture accept and expect that power is distributed unequally throughout that culture
> low power distance: people relate to each other as they are equal
> high power distance: less powerful members accept and expect aspects of that culture (decision-making, autocratic)

Question 9

Masculinity vs. Femininity

Answer 9

• extent to which is a culture is understood in terms of masculinity / femininity
  > masculine cultures: emphasize value traits (competitiveness, assertiveness, ambition, …)
  > feminine cultures: emphasizing traits such as relationships and quality of life

Question 10

Uncertainty avoidance

Answer 10

extent to which members of a culture develop social mechanisms/ rules to attempt to deal with anxiety by minimizing uncertainty (traditions, cultural rules)

Question 11

Long-term vs. Short-term orientation

Answer 11

refers to the importance attached by that culture to the future vs. the past and present
> extent to which members expect immediate (short-term) or delayed (long-term) gratification
> time horizon
> short-term: value on consumption, competition (Western cultures)
> long-term: persistence, perseverance, being patient (China, Japan, Asian cultures)