Individualism Versus Collectivism: A Comparison of Kenyan and American Self-Concepts

• Published in: Basic and applied social psychology 1997-06, Vol.19 (2), p.261-273
• Main Authors: Ma, Vaunne, Schoeneman, Thomas J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0197-3533; 1532-4834
• DOI: 10.1207/s15324834basp1902_7

We predicted that individuals from traditional, collectivist Kenyan cultures would have self-concepts with more social components than would those from individuated American culture and that the self-concepts of urbanized and educated Kenyans would be less social than those of traditional Kenyans. Consistent with predictions, the proportion of social category responses to the Twenty Statements Test was 12% for American college students, 17% for Kenyan university students in Nairobi, 58% for Kenyans employed in Nairobi, 80% for Maasai Kenyans, and 84% for Samburu Kenyans. American and Kenyan university students responded primarily with nonsocial categories of psychological and interpersonal style, whereas traditional Kenyans responded with social categories of occupational and kinship roles. Sociocultural factors of urbanization, education, and Westernization appear to correlate with individuated (nonsocial) self-conceptions.