A cross-cultural analysis of avoidance (relative to approach) personal goals.
The results from this research supported our primary hypothesis that the adoption of avoidance (relative to approach) personal goals varies as a function of individualism-collectivism (across representations of this distinction). Interdependent self-construals were positively related and independent self-construals were negatively related to adoption of avoidance goals (Study 1), Asian Americans adopted more avoidance goals than non-Asian Americans (Study 2), andpersonsfrom South Korea and Russia adopted more avoidance goals than those in the United States (Studies 3 and 4, respectively). Studies 3 and 4 investigated andfound supportfor our secondary hypothesis that avoidance personal goals are a negative predictor of subjective well-being in individualistic (the United States), but not collectivistic (South Korea and Russia), countries. The findings are discussed in terms of other approach-avoidance constructs and motivational processes.
Elliot
A J
AJ
Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, NY 14627, USA. andye@scp.rochester.edu
Chirkov
V I
VI
Kim
Y
Y
Sheldon
K M
KM
D000124:Achievement; D000328:Adult; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012426:Russia; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States