Understanding the Individualism-Collectivism Cleavage and Its Effects: Lessons from Cultural Psychology

Abstract

In this paper, we survey our recent work showing theoretically and empirically a link between individualist culture on one hand and long run growth and innovation. The individualism-collectivism cultural dimension is the only one that has a robust effect on measures of long run growth. We survey the cross-cultural psychology culture that finds that the individualism-collectivism cleavage is also the most important one in that literature. We discuss some of the implications of the lessons from the psychology literature on the economic and institutional effects of the individualism-collectivism cleavage.

The past is prologue: Moving on from Culture’s Consequences

“…One can, however, be even more reductionist and go further down the levels of analysis all the way to the genetic. Gorodnichenko and Roland (2012) and Mrazek, Chiao, Blizinsky, Lun, and Gelfand (2013) discuss the relationship between culture values and genetic and pathogenic variation.…”

Culture and Institutions

“…For other more recent examples, see Aghion et al (2010), Alesina et al (forthcoming), Alesina and Giuliano (2010, 2011a, Alesina, Giuliano, and Nunn (2013), Galasso andProfeta (2011), Guiso, Sapienza, andZingales (2009), Luttmer andSinghal this approach include reverse causality and omitted variables. Economists have tried solving these problems in several ways, with varying success: Gorodnichenko andRoland (2013a, 2013b), Zingales (2009), andNunn (2013) used instrumental variables, though the exclusion restriction has been problematic. Tabellini (2010) and Duranton, Rodríguez-Pose, and Sandall (2009) constructed cultural variables at the regional level, using country fixed effects to capture omitted cross-country differences.…”

“…Though the issue of selection due to migration is mitigated, it could ( ), Pinotti (2012, and Gorodnichenko andRoland (2013a, 2013b). 13 The authors use evidence from eight different census datasets, linking each ethnic group to its historical agricultural technology.…”

Three's company, or a crowd?: The effects of robot number and behavior on HRI in Japan and the USA

“…It may also be that looking at the robots for longer or shorter durations, or interacting with them, induced participants to like the robots more or less. For example, in Japan, a robot that draws attention to itself may be seen as more individual, more disruptive, and less likeable, whereas in the USA, people may not have as many negative associations with calling attention to one's individuality [30]. Future research could explore this relationship to help determine how to design robots that will be liked depending on preferences for individuality.…”