The Impact of Cultural Norms on Psychology: An Example of Collectivism vs. Individualism
Culture shapes every aspect of our lives, including our thought patterns, behaviors, and beliefs. Indeed, our cultural norms impact everything from our decision making to our relationships with others. The field of psychology has been long interested in the ways cultural norms influence mental processes. In this article, we will explore how collectivism and individualism cultural norms affect psychological processes and outcomes.
Introduction
Cultural norms shape societies, and different cultures have distinct attitudes, beliefs, and values that guide their social behavior. While many cultures prioritize individualism (the belief in the importance of individual autonomy and personal achievement), others prioritize collectivism (the belief in the importance of group harmony and collective achievements). Such cultural differences between societies can profoundly affect how people think, feel, and behave. Psychology’s main focus on what factors shape our mental processes and human behavior and, thus, is heavily impacted by the differences in cultural norms and values.
Collectivism vs. Individualism
The difference between collectivism and individualism boils down to how people view themselves and their role in society. Essentially, in individualistic cultures like the United States and Western Europe, people prioritize personal achievements and individual autonomy above everything else. These societies value independence, individual achievement, and competitiveness over social harmony, cooperation, and support. In contrast, collectivist societies like Japan and China place greater emphasis on social harmony, cooperation, and loyalty to the groups with which they belong, such as the family, the community, and the country.
Impact on mental processes
Cultural norms and values have a significant impact on how people think and perceive the world around them. People from individualistic cultures tend to have a more independent sense of self and are more likely to see themselves as unique individuals. For example, they tend to value self-expression and differentiation, prioritize personal goals and achievements, and approach interpersonal relationships in terms of their personal preferences. In contrast, individuals from collectivist cultures tend to have a more dependent sense of self and identify more strongly with the groups to which they belong. As a result, they tend to prioritize group goals over individual goals, seek to promote social harmony and are more willing to sacrifice personal goals for the good of the group. For examples, in collectivist societies, hierarchy and respect for elders are essential to maintain social harmony.
Impact on mental health
The way people perceive their social identity, cultural value systems, and social norms profoundly affects their mental health. Collectivist cultural norms have been shown to confer several advantages for mental health. For instance, collectivism cultivates social support and reduces social isolation that are, in turn, linked to reduced risk for depression. In addition, collectivist cultures generally have lower levels of anxiety than individualistic cultures, largely because collectivism promotes social support and interdependence. However, collectivism also has downsides, such that the tendency to conform, maintain the group image, and suppress individual opinions can result in depression, anxiety, or an inability to express one’s emotions freely, even though expressing one’s emotions is generally encouraged in individualistic cultures.
In contrast, individualistic cultures promote the autonomy and self-expression of individuals, allowing them to control their lives and maximize personal potential, leading to higher self-esteem. However, this emphasis on individual achievement and competitiveness often leads to isolation since self-absorption can affect social relationships negatively, which per se increases the risk of depression.
Conclusion
Cultural norms shape the way we think, feel, and interact with others. In psychology, the cultural norms of collectivism and individualism have been shown substantially to influence our mental processes, social identity, and mental health. Collectivist cultural norms have several benefits, including promoting social support and reducing anxiety, though they also may tend to suppress individual autonomy and make it hard to express one’s emotions freely. In contrast, individualistic cultural norms give individuals control over their lives and maximize their potential, though they may lead to social isolation that increases the risk of depression. Understanding the cultural differences between collectivism and individualism is critical to comprehending the implications of cultural diversity in psychology.
