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Cultural Background and Individualistic–Collectivistic Values in Relation to Similarity, Perspective Taking, and Empathy
Author(s) -
Heinke Miriam S.,
Louis Winnifred R.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2009.00538.x
Subject(s) - collectivism , empathy , psychology , social psychology , perspective (graphical) , individualism , feeling , similarity (geometry) , individualistic culture , perspective taking , personal distress , empathic concern , mathematics , geometry , artificial intelligence , political science , computer science , law , image (mathematics)
A path model testing antecedents and consequences of perceived similarity was examined for Asian and European Australian participants ( N = 240). Cultural background and values were measured, and participants read scenarios describing a target in distress acting according to individualistic or collectivistic values. Consistent with past research, feeling similar to the target was linked to perspective taking and empathy. Moreover, Asian participants were more collectivistic, and collectivistic values were linked to higher empathy. In the present data, however, both endorsed higher levels of collectivism than individualism; individualism scores were equal; and the two values were positively correlated. Moreover, neither cultural background nor values were consistently linked to similarity. Implications are discussed for research on cultural background, values, and social interactions.