Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

1-2015

Abstract

We know that there are cross-cultural differences in psychological variables, such as individualism/collectivism. But it has not been clear which of these variables show relatively the greatestdifferences. The Survey of World Views project operated from the premise that such issuesare best addressed in a diverse sampling of countries representing a majority of the world’spopulation, with a very large range of item-content. Data were collected online from 8,883individuals (almost entirely college students based on local publicizing efforts) in 33 countriesthat constitute more than two third of the world’s population, using items drawn from measuresof nearly 50 variables. This report focuses on the broadest patterns evident in item data. Thelargest differences were not in those contents most frequently emphasized in cross-culturalpsychology (e.g., values, social axioms, cultural tightness), but instead in contents involvingreligion, regularity-norm behaviors, family roles and living arrangements, and ethnonationalism.Content not often studied cross-culturally (e.g., materialism, Machiavellianism, isms dimensions,moral foundations) demonstrated moderate-magnitude differences. Further studies are neededto refine such conclusions, but indications are that cross-cultural psychology may benefit fromcasting a wider net in terms of the psychological variables of focus.

Keywords

cultural psychology, family, child rearing, personality, religion, morality, values, attitudes, beliefs, gender, sex roles, ethnic identity

Discipline

Applied Behavior Analysis | Child Psychology | Developmental Psychology | Psychology

Research Areas

Psychology

Publication

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

Volume

46

Issue

1

First Page

53

Last Page

70

ISSN

0022-0221

Identifier

10.1177/0022022114551791

Publisher

SAGE Publications (UK and US)

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022114551791

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