Market sophistication and metacognition of workers in collectivistic vs. individualistic countries

Abstract

The study is designed to answer the question of whether and how economic and technological factors of collectivistic vs. individualistic countries relate to metacognition, meaning self-awareness of biases (metacognitive self, MCS). The latter was measured via a questionnaire (MCSQ – 40), translated (back – forth) into Polish, English, Vietnamese, Hindu, and Spanish (n = 945). Economic and technological factors were extracted from the Global Innovation Index dataset. Knowledge workers and market sophistication were chosen as the factors. The former factor when strong in a given country enhanced MCS of participants. Conversely, the latter factor, that is market sophistication, decreased MCS level of participants when significant. The results are explained in terms of Marx's theory, the beneficial role of human technology, and the theories of consciousness.