engleski

Sociocultural differences in self-construal and subjective well-being

Cultural models—independence, interdependence, and integration— that describe the hypothesized relationships between dimensions of self- construal and emotional components of subjective well-being among individualistic and collectivistic countries have been proposed and already tested in limited number of countries [Cheng et al., Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 42, 832 (2011)]. In our study the proposed models were examined in three European countries. According to Hofstede`s study [Cultures and organizations, McGraw-Hill, New York (2010)], Slovenia and Croatia are classified as collectivistic cultures and thus interdependence model regarding relationship between self-construal and emotional well-being should be characteristic for them ; on the other hand, for Italy as an individualistic culture the independence model should be relevant. In our study we also examined relationship between self- construal and psychological and social well- being. We expected that for these two aspects of well-being interdependent self-construal would be a crucial predictor regardless of predominant orientation (collectivism, individualism) of the culture. Slovene (N = 242), Croatian (N = 211), and Italian (N = 170) participants filled out the Independent – Interdependent Self-Construal Scale, and the Mental Health Continuum – Short form. Regarding the emotional well-being, the results were in accordance to interdependence model for Slovenia and independence model for Croatia ; regarding the psychological well-being the results were in accordance with the independence model for Croatia and Italy and the integration model for Slovenia. On the other hand, the interdependent self-construal was an important predictor of social well-being in all three countries, thus confirming the interdependence model. Results indicated that individuals’ perception of themselves as strongly related to others is especially relevant for social well-being regardless of country’s orientation toward individualism or collectivism.

self-construal, well-being, cross-cultural

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