Do Collectivists Know Themselves Better Than Individualists? Cross-Cultural Studies of the Holier Than Thou Phenomenon

• Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology 2008-12, Vol.95 (6), p.1252-1267
• Main Authors: Balcetis, Emily, Dunning, David, Miller, Richard L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; Adolescent; Bias; Biological and medical sciences; Collectivism; Cooperative Behavior; Cross cultural studies; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Crosscultural studies; Cultural differences; Cultural values; Culture; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Humans; Individualism; Individualism-Collectivism; Individuality; Male; Motivation; Perception of others; Personality; Prediction; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Self Concept; Self image; Self-perception; Selfenhancement; Selfinsight; Social psychology; Social structure and organization; Sociocultural Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0022-3514; 1939-1315
• DOI: 10.1037/a0013195

Collectivists know themselves better than individualists do, in that collectivists 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 accurate in predicting the behavior of their peers. Collectivists were more accurate in their self-predictions than were 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-insight and social insight.