In the Middle between East and West: Implicit Cultural Orientations in Saudi Arabia

29 Pages Posted: 26 Jun 2011

See all articles by William Maddux

William Maddux

INSEAD - Organisational Behavior

Alvaro San Martin

INSEAD

Marwan Sinaceur

ESSEC Business School; INSEAD

Shinobu Kitayama

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

Date Written: June 25, 2011

Abstract

Arabian cultures are of historical and contemporary importance, yet little is known about their psychological characteristics. We hypothesized that the importance of memberships in kinship groups in Arabian culture leads to both strong interdependent tendencies via group identification, but also strong independent tendencies regarding self-dignity and experience of independent emotions (pride, anger) as a result of kinship group rivalries. Using a cultural task analysis to assess implicit behavioral markers of cultural orientations, we found that – compared to individuals in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany – Saudi Arabians were relatively interdependent on measures of attention, social judgment, and happiness. However, on two measures tapping self-evaluation and emotional experience, Saudi Arabians emerged as highly independent. No gender difference was found. Altogether, Saudi Arabia clearly defies the currently dominant classification of cultures (independent or interdependent), thereby posing important challenges to extant theories of culture.

Suggested Citation

Maddux, William and San Martin, Alvaro and Sinaceur, Marwan and Kitayama, Shinobu, In the Middle between East and West: Implicit Cultural Orientations in Saudi Arabia (June 25, 2011). IACM 24th Annual Conference Paper, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1872649 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1872649

William Maddux (Contact Author)

INSEAD - Organisational Behavior ( email )

Finance area, Boulevard de Constance
Fontainebleau 77305
France

Alvaro San Martin

INSEAD ( email )

Bvd de Constance
Fontainebleau, 77305
France

Marwan Sinaceur

ESSEC Business School ( email )

3 Avenue Bernard Hirsch
CS 50105 CERGY
CERGY, CERGY PONTOISE CEDEX 95021
France

INSEAD ( email )

3 Avenue Bernard Hirsch
Cergy-Pontoise, 95021
France

Shinobu Kitayama

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor ( email )

500 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
United States

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