Choice and self-expression: A cultural analysis of variety-seeking.

Abstract

Three studies examined whether the tendency to seek variety in choices depends in part on cultural assumptions of choice and uniqueness. Study 1 showed that people from different cultures where different assumptions of choice and uniqueness dominate show different levels of variety in their choice rule use. Study 2 primed participants with magazine ads highlighting different representations of uniqueness dominant in individualist versus collectivist cultures to show the influence of cultural meanings of uniqueness on the variety-seeking tendency. Study 3 manipulated the motivation to display variety to demonstrate that variety-seeking in the United States partly hinges on cultural meanings of choice as self-expression. Variety-seeking in choice rule use was eliminated when participants had the chance to self-express through choice listing. The research illustrates the role of cultural assumptions in the variety-seeking tendency.

The impact of choice on young children’s prosocial motivation

“…There is reason to believe that individual choices play a less important, if not negligible, role in collectivist cultures. For instance, in a study by Kim and Drolet (2003), having choice had no impact on Asian American school children's intrinsic motivation. In contrast to Anglo American school children, Asian Americans' intrinsic motivation was highest when choices were made for them by an authority figure.…”

“…Moreover, making choices is an act of self-expression (Kim & Drolet, 2003). By choosing certain actions over others, we reveal ourselves-our values, identities, and roles (Korsgaard, 2009).…”

Identifiable but Not Identical: Combining Social Identity and Uniqueness Motives in Choice

“…One could achieve greater differentiation by joining smaller groups, distinguishing oneself from other in-group members, or differentiating one's group more from outgroups. Furthermore, research suggests that choice may not be as strongly linked to identity in all cultural contexts (Kim and Drolet 2003;Savani, Markus, and Conner 2008;Stephens, Markus, and Townsend 2007). Examining the degree to which these motivations exist in various cultural contexts, as well as how they combine to drive choice, may provide insight not only into differentiation itself but also the communication of identity across cultures and the integration of multiple motives more broadly.…”

Individuality or Conformity? The Effect of Independent and Interdependent Self‐Concepts on Public Judgments

“…This is likely to be the case when individuals make public choices. Because choice is often a form of self-expression (Kim & Drolet, 2003), personal decision rules may frequently be congruent with those prescribed by the culture. (For example, U.S. consumers have probably learned that their culture encourages individuals to make choices that appear unique and distinctive).…”