Cultural Differences Between Individualism And Collectivism

Individualism and collectivism are on opposite sides of the fence, so to speak. Individualistic cultures have an independent view of themselves and consider themselves separate from others. On the other hand, people from collectivistic cultures view themselves as being connected to others. Collectivism involves cohesion while individualist societies are those societies that have weak connections between individuals. In such societies, individuals are expected to focus on themselves or their immediate loved ones. Within collectivist societies, individuals are incorporated into sound, united in-groups starting from birth such as extended families. These ties are often guided by security and loyalty (Hofstede, 1984).An analysis of the US shows the US society is individualistic, given its 91 scores on this dimension. This cultural

The US scores 46 in uncertainty avoidance. This shows a relatively low score on this dimension, and this can be evident by the US national cultures. The US culture exhibits only moderate opposition to change. Also, the culture attempts to alleviate the unpredictability of future events through firm legislation and policies, safety and security interventions (Hofstede & Bond, 1984).

Gender egalitarianism: This dimension refers to the extent to which a collective diminishes gender disparity. The US culture scores high on gender egalitarianism for various reasons. The American culture often has a relatively large number of women in positions of power. Also, the American culture has minimal occupational sex segregation. The society also strives for equal levels of educational accomplishment for males and females (Hofstede & Bond, 1984).

References: Hofstede, G. (1984). Cultural dimensions in management and planning. Asia Pacific journal of management, 1(2),