Features of Extreme Individualist Culture
Cultures that value the "Me" can be said to have the core value of individual freedom above all else.
Their 7 main precepts are:
1) Honest people speak their mind
2) Explicit statements are preferred
3) Tasks take precedence over relationships
4) Laws and rights are the same for all
5) Poor performance leads to guilt and loss of self-respect
6) Everyone is supposed to have a personal opinion on any topic
7) The relationship between employer and employee is a contract based on mutual advantage
Members of an Individualist Society value words like :
SELF, FRIENDSHIP, CONTRACT, LITIGATION, SELF-INTEREST, SELF-RESPECT, SELF-ACTUALIZING, INDIVIDUAL, DIGNITY, I, ME, PLEASURE, ADVENTURE, GUILT, and PRIVACY
Countries considered individualist include:
United States, Germany,Switzerland, United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Canada, and Ireland
Dimensions adapted from "Exploring Culture" by Gert Hofstede, 2002.
The Rights of the Individual
Individualist countries such as Germany (IDV 67) and the United Kingdom (IDV 89) are modern societies founded on the belief in the rights of the individual. The end of the middle ages and the rise of the bourgeoisie class lead to an emphasis on individualism throughout Europe and the Western world and may be tied to the concept of Manifest Destiny. Individualist cultures might best be exemplified by the phrase "Go your own way."
The United States of America (IDV 91) is considered an extreme Individualist society because of foundational beliefs such as The Declaration of Independence or The Bill of Rights, which enumerated the rights of the individual. Had English colonists been more Collectivist in nature, they would have deferred to the needs of the group and never have broken free from England.
Learn more about the origins of America's extreme individualist culture in this article in the Canadian Journal of Psychology.
Individualist countries such as Germany (IDV 67) and the United Kingdom (IDV 89) are modern societies founded on the belief in the rights of the individual. The end of the middle ages and the rise of the bourgeoisie class lead to an emphasis on individualism throughout Europe and the Western world and may be tied to the concept of Manifest Destiny. Individualist cultures might best be exemplified by the phrase "Go your own way."
The United States of America (IDV 91) is considered an extreme Individualist society because of foundational beliefs such as The Declaration of Independence or The Bill of Rights, which enumerated the rights of the individual. Had English colonists been more Collectivist in nature, they would have deferred to the needs of the group and never have broken free from England.
Learn more about the origins of America's extreme individualist culture in this article in the Canadian Journal of Psychology.
When Cultures Cross
This chart compares the United States, China, and the Netherlands across 5 dimensions of culture (Hofstede).
Note the IDV (Individualism vs Collectivism) dimension shows a pronounced difference between China and the other 2 countries.
Another dimension on the chart is that of Power Distance-
which is inversely proportionate to the IDV scores.
This is important to note because the high Power-Distance perceived by your Collectivist students can lead to teacher-student communication problems that may make it difficult to determine how your student is making attributions for their success or failure in the classroom. By using the lessons and activities on the Teacher Resource page, attributions can be made explicit for the student and communication about their successes and failures can improve.
Want to Look Up An Identity Dimension Score?
Researcher Geert Hofstede has over 93 countries indexed on his site!
Find out how your student's nation of origin compares to your own.
Remember, a student's nation of origin is not always correlated to their personal culture.
Go to the Teacher Resources page to find suggested instruments for learning more about your students' identity.
How do you much do you emphasize effort or ability in your classroom?
Knowing more about your own identity dimensions can help make the value sets of your students more apparent- this can be important when considering how to better help your students correctly define for themselves the reasons for their success or failure in the classroom.
Knowing more about your own identity dimensions can help make the value sets of your students more apparent- this can be important when considering how to better help your students correctly define for themselves the reasons for their success or failure in the classroom.