The "me" I claim to be: cultural self-construal elicits self-presentational goal pursuit.
In 12 studies, respondents with an independent (vs. interdependent) self-construal showed an increased tendency and readiness to present themselves as skillful and capable and a decreased tendency and readiness to present themselves as socially sensitive and appropriate. This emerged in the form of differential scores on direct measures of self-presentation-self-deceptive enhancement and impression management (Study 1), differential social sensitivity in a gift-giving scenario (Study 2), differential performance on questions assessing general knowledge (Studies 5-6) and etiquette (Studies 7-8), and different choices between tests purportedly measuring one's self-reliance versus social-appropriateness (Studies 9A and 9D). These relationships were observed when participants focused on their own self-presentational concerns but disappeared when participants focused on others' outcomes (Study 3) or when they had a prior opportunity to satisfy their goals via self-affirmation (Studies 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9B, 9D). Finally, self-construal effects were eliminated or reversed when participants were led to doubt their ability to achieve their self-presentational goals (Study 9C).
Lalwani
Ashok K
AK
Department of Marketing, University of Texas, San Antonio, TX, USA. ashok.lalwani@utsa.edu
Shavitt
Sharon
S
D001288:Attention; D003469:Culture; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D009042:Motivation; D018187:Personal Construct Theory; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D012928:Social Desirability; D012945:Social Values; D012951:Socialization; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology