Two Types of Collectivism: Intragroup Relationship Orientation in Japan and Intergroup Comparison Orientation in the United States

37 Pages Posted: 18 Oct 2007

See all articles by Kosuke Takemura

Kosuke Takemura

Hokkaido University - Graduate School of Economics & Business Administration

Masaki Yuki

Hokkaido University - Graduate School of Economics & Business Administration

William Maddux

INSEAD - Organisational Behavior

Yohsuke Ohtsubo

Kobe University - Graduate School of Business Administration

Date Written: September 2007

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated that although North Americans are typically seen as highly individualistic, they are actually no less group-oriented than "collectivistic" East Asians. However, this may be the case because group-orientations of East Asians and North Americans are qualitatively different: the former are more intragroup-relationship oriented, whereas the latter are more intergroup-comparison oriented. Results from two cross-cultural studies in Japan and the United States supported this hypothesis. In an initial questionnaire study, relative to Americans, collectivist concerns of Japanese were found to be more focused on interpersonal relationships and cooperation within ingroups, whereas Americans' concerns were focused more on relative status differences between ingroups and outgroups. Study 2, using a memory-recall task, replicated the same pattern. We discuss how these findings impact our understanding of culture and different group processes and their broader relationship to open vs. closed social environments.

Keywords: Culture, Collectivism, Group process, Social Identity, Japan

Suggested Citation

Takemura, Kosuke and Yuki, Masaki and Maddux, William and Ohtsubo, Yohsuke, Two Types of Collectivism: Intragroup Relationship Orientation in Japan and Intergroup Comparison Orientation in the United States (September 2007). INSEAD Business School Research Paper No. 2007/54/OB, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1021242 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1021242

Kosuke Takemura (Contact Author)

Hokkaido University - Graduate School of Economics & Business Administration ( email )

Kita-ku Kita 9 Nishi 7
Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060
Japan

Masaki Yuki

Hokkaido University - Graduate School of Economics & Business Administration ( email )

Kita-ku Kita 9 Nishi 7
Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060
Japan

William Maddux

INSEAD - Organisational Behavior ( email )

Finance area, Boulevard de Constance
Fontainebleau 77305
France

Yohsuke Ohtsubo

Kobe University - Graduate School of Business Administration ( email )

3-7-2 Shimiyoshiyamate
Higashinada-ku
Kobe, Hyogo 658-0063, Hyogo 657-8501
Japan

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