On the cultural guises of cognitive dissonance: the case of easterners and westerners.
Cognitive dissonance and effects of self-affirmation on dissonance arousal were examined cross-culturally. In Studies 1 and 2, European Canadians justified their choices more when they made them for themselves, whereas Asian Canadians (Study 1) or Japanese (Study 2) justified their choices more when they made them for a friend. In Study 3, an interdependent self-affirmation reduced dissonance for Asian Canadians but not for European Canadians. In Study 4, when Asian Canadians made choices for a friend, an independent self-affirmation reduced dissonance for bicultural Asian Canadians but not for monocultural Asian Canadians. These studies demonstrate that both Easterners and Westerners can experience dissonance, but culture shapes the situations in which dissonance is aroused and reduced. Implications of these cultural differences for theories of cognitive dissonance and self-affirmation are discussed.
Hoshino-Browne
Etsuko
E
Department of Psychology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA. ehoshin1@swarthmore.edu
Zanna
Adam S
AS
Spencer
Steven J
SJ
Zanna
Mark P
MP
Kitayama
Shinobu
S
Lackenbauer
Sandra
S
D000328:Adult; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003073:Cognitive Dissonance; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012718:Set, Psychology; D012933:Social Identification; D012945:Social Values; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*