Do collectivists know themselves better than individualists? Cross-cultural studies of the holier than thou phenomenon
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2008)
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Emily Balcetis
Ohio University
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David Dunning
Cornell University
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Richard L. Miller
University of Nebraska at Kearney
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Collectivists “know themselves” better than individualists, in that they provide more accurate self-predictions of future behavior in situations with moral or altruistic overtones. In 3 studies, respondents from individualist cultures overestimated the likelihood that they would act generously in situations involving redistributing a reward (Study 1), donating money (Study 2), or avoiding rude behavior (Study 3), whereas collectivists were in general more accurate in their self-predictions. Both groups were roughly accurately in predicting the behavior of their peers. Collectivists were more accurate in their self-predictions than individualists even when both groups were sampled from the same cultural group (Study 4). Discussion centers on culturally specific motivations that may bias the accuracy of self and social insight. |
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Balcetis, E., Dunning, D. & Miller, R.L. (2008). Do collectivists know themselves better than individualists? Cross-cultural studies of the holier than thou phenomenon. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 1252-1267.
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