I See Myself through My Avatar: Evidence from East Asia and North America for Acculturated Effects on Virtual Representation Preference

In the present research we argue that avatars, as identity containers, can mirror people’s self-concepts. Research in cultural psychology suggests that East Asians tend to be more tolerant of contradictions and that they more easily adjust their self-concepts in accordance with changing contexts compared to North Americans (see Heine 2001). We therefore assume that preferred forms of avatars among East Asians and North Americans are different because of this self-concept variability across cultures. We conducted a quasi-experiment to explore how people in the two cultures differently evaluate two forms of avatars, human-like and cartoon-like avatars, in terms of likeability and preference. We found that East Asians rated cartoon-like avatars more favourably than North Americans. Moreover, compared to North Americans, East Asians preferred cartoon-like avatars to human-like avatars for their hypothetical avatars to play games. We conclude by discussing implications for future research.

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Building Cultural Bridges Between China and India

Psychology and Developing Societies ◽

10.1177/0971333621990457 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 097133362199045

Author(s):

Dharm P. S. Bhawuk

Keyword(s):

Cross Cultural Psychology ◽

Cultural Psychology ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Special Issue ◽

Multiple Perspectives ◽

Indian Culture ◽

Two Cultures ◽

China And India ◽

The Two Cultures ◽

Social Behaviours

Employing one of the established theories from cross-cultural psychology and sociology, first it is shown that both China and India are collectivist cultures. Then the Chinese and Indian worldviews are compared to highlight fundamental similarities between the two cultures. Finally, it is shown how self-cultivation is emphasised in both China and India. Effort is made to show how ideas presented by Confucius and Lao Tsu are captured in the Indian culture and social behaviours. A number of issues are raised for the development of indigenous knowledge from multiple perspectives using various paradigms and methodology. It is hoped that the special issue and this article will stimulate researchers to bridge Chinese and Indian psychologies which may pave the path towards peaceful prosperity.

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Sino-Russian negotiation styles: A cross-cultural analysis of situated patterns

Asian Journal of Comparative Politics ◽

10.1177/2057891119887812 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 205789111988781 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tariq H Malik

Keyword(s):

Cultural Analysis ◽

Strategic Partnership ◽

Future Research ◽

Economic Sectors ◽

Two Cultures ◽

Mixed Markets ◽

The Two Cultures ◽

Negotiation Style ◽

Belt And Road ◽

Positive Correlations

China and Russia have transitioned from centralised economies to mixed markets, they have developed institutions and economic sectors and they joined hands in the strategic partnership in economic and political paths through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Most writers compare or contrast their political and economic powers and preferences vis-a-vis Western cultures and countries; none assess the cultural and contextual styles between the two partners. We build on this question to assess whether and how the two neighbours differ in negotiation style rather than how their institutions shape their behaviour. Based on the behavioural negotiation framework proposed in the early 1990s, we gathered evidence through two surveys: one in Russia and the other in China. We received 988 responses from China and 708 responses from Russia, which we analysed in correlational statistics. The statistical analysis shows negative correlations for four styles of negotiation and positive correlations for six styles of negotiation. We interpreted the negative correlation as divergence between the two cultures and positive correlation as convergence between the two cultures on those styles. The magnitude of the correlation further supports the competing positions of the two cultures on the semantic spectrums. We offer theoretical and policy suggestions at the end of the article. In concluding remarks, we draw attention to multiple gaps which can be filled in future research.

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Culture and Lay Theories of Change

10.1093/oso/9780199348541.003.0003 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Ning Zhang ◽

Li-Jun Ji ◽

Tieyuan Guo

Keyword(s):

Cultural Differences ◽

Internal State ◽

Future Research ◽

Lay Theories ◽

Cultural Variation ◽

East Asians ◽

North Americans ◽

Wide Range ◽

Theories Of Change ◽

Over Time

Lay theories of change refer to beliefs people hold about how events develop over time and are related to each other. This chapter reviews cultural differences in lay theories of change between East Asians and Euro-Americans/Canadians. The overarching theme from the existing research is that East Asians tend to believe more than Westerners that phenomena change in a cyclical way, whereas Westerners tend to believe that events are either relatively stable or develop in a linear fashion. This cultural variation is manifested in a wide range of predictions and decisions. Furthermore, Euro–North Americans are more likely than East Asians to hold linear beliefs about the correspondence between cause and effect in magnitude, and between appearance and reality (e.g., a strong appearance corresponds to a strong internal state). The chapter also discusses the cultural underpinnings of lay theories of change and directions for future research.

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Culture and the behavioural manifestations of traits: an application of the Act Frequency Approach

European Journal of Personality ◽

10.1002/per.631 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 389-417 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

A. Timothy Church ◽

Marcia S. Katigbak ◽

Lilia G. Miramontes ◽

Alicia M. del Prado ◽

Helena F. Cabrera

Keyword(s):

Big Five ◽

Cultural Psychology ◽

Two Cultures ◽

The Past ◽

Big Five Traits ◽

The Two Cultures

The behavioural manifestations of Big Five traits were compared across cultures using the Act Frequency Approach. American (n = 176) and Filipino (n = 195) students completed a Big Five measure and act frequency ratings for behaviours performed during the past month. Acts for specific traits cohered to an equivalent degree across cultures. In both cultures, the structure of act composites resembled the Big Five and the strength of trait‐behaviour relationships was very similar. Many acts were multidimensional and analyses revealed cultural commonalities and differences in the relevance and prevalence of acts for the Big Five traits. The results were more consistent with trait than cultural psychology perspectives, because traits predicted behaviour equally well, on average, in the two cultures. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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What Went Wrong? Lessons Learned from Studying ERP Implementation Across Cultures

Qualitative Case Studies on Implementation of Enterprise Wide Systems ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-447-7.ch006 ◽

2005 ◽

pp. 87-106

Author(s):

Celia Romm Livermore

Keyword(s):

Implementation Process ◽

The United States ◽

Study Data ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Future Research ◽

Erp Implementation ◽

Two Cultures ◽

The Two Cultures ◽

Case Study Data

Following a literature review that sets this research in context, case study data from two companies, one in the United States and one in Israel, are presented. Data are used to compare the implementation process of SAP Enterprise Planning Systems (ERPs) in the two cultures. The unique patterns of the implementation process that emerge from the two case studies are discussed as examples of the decision-making patterns typical of the two cultures. When relevant, areas where the findings did not agree with the theory are highlighted. The conclusions section explores the implications from this research to broader issues of ERP implementation across cultures, including the implementation of ERP systems within the higher education sector, and possible directions for future research emanating from this study.

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Diagnostic disclosure: a tale in two cultures

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291700032803 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 147-157 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Patricia McDonald-Scott ◽

Shizuo Machizawa ◽

Hiroyuki Satoh

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Two Cultures ◽

North Americans ◽

Diagnostic Disclosure ◽

Patient Consent ◽

The Family ◽

Case Vignettes ◽

Disclosure Practice ◽

Do So

SYNOPSISDiagnostic communication between doctors and patients is thought to differ radically between Japan and Western countries. To understand diagnostic disclosure to psychiatric patients, a questionnaire with six case vignettes was sent to practising psychiatrists in Japan (N = 166) and North America (N = 112). While over 90% of both groups would inform patients with affective and anxiety disorders of their diagnoses, only 70% of North Americans and less than 30% of Japanese would similarly inform patients with schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorders. The Japanese preferred alternative was to give a vague alternative diagnosis such as neurasthenia. North Americans would discuss differential diagnoses with the patient instead. Nearly all in both groups would inform the family, but North Americans would do so only with patient consent. For disorders for which there are effective treatments, diagnostic disclosure is common to both cultures; when prognosis is uncertain or the diagnosis is feared, as in schizophrenia, culturally constructed views of patienthood govern disclosure practice.

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Shame East and West: similarities, differences, culture, and self

Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in China ◽

10.33212/ppc.v3n1.2020.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 1-21

Author(s):

Michael Stadter ◽

Gao Jun

Keyword(s):

Object Relations ◽

Future Research ◽

Prosocial Behaviour ◽

Object Relations Theory ◽

Two Cultures ◽

The Us ◽

Chinese Perspective ◽

The Two Cultures ◽

Western Perspective ◽

Vicarious Shame

Shame is an innate human affect and is also powerfully influenced by culture. This article compares and contrasts shame in China and in America. First, the physiology, development, and experience of shame are discussed. Then, a Western perspective (psychoanalytic object relations theory) is presented followed by a Chinese perspective (interdependent model). Shame in the two cultures is compared and contrasted and empirical research is also presented. The authors’ conclusions include the following: object relations theory is a useful perspective in understanding shame and the development of self in both cultures; shame is viewed more positively in China than in the US and is used more to motivate prosocial behaviour by families and authorities; Americans experience more helplessness and smallness when shamed; Chinese have more desire to repair and feel more responsible for the shameful incident; Chinese are more likely to feel vicarious shame or guilt when someone they are connected to commits a shameful act; Lewis’ American shame model effectively distinguishes shame from guilt for Americans but does not clearly differentiate the two for Chinese, while Xie’s Chinese self afflicted/other afflicted model does so. The article concludes with suggestions for future research and implications for clinical practice.

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