# data[].attributes.headline
1.- THE INTERDEPENDENT AND INDEPENDENT SELVES

# data[].attributes.subject
1.- THE INTERDEPENDENT AND INDEPENDENT SELVES

# data[].attributes.body
One of the most researched topics in cross-cultural psychology is Hazel Markus and Shinobu Kitayama's (1991) self-construal theory. They posited that our sociocultural context shapes how we perceive our self as interdependent and thus defined in terms of our relationships and inseparable from the social context, or as independent, focusing on how our individual traits, abilities, goals, and preferences distinguish us from others. They suggested that an interdependent self-construal would be more common in an East Asian cultural context and an independent self-construal would be more common among Westerners. According to Markus and Kitayama, the degree to which we hold an interdependent versus independent self-construal affects how we process thoughts, how we experience and express emotions, and how and when we are motivated. To date, there have been many challenges and revisions to the independent - interdependent framework, as well as scrutiny of the methods used in these studies, though it continues to be a topic of considerable research interest. This activity will familiarize you with the concept of self-construal.

© Copyright material from Susan B. Goldstein (2019), Cross-Cultural Explorations, Routledge.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
THE INTERDEPENDENT AND INDEPENDENT SELVES (Survey)

# data[].attributes.body
Based on the survey's results answer these two questions.

1.- The items in the column on the left indicate characteristics of the interdependent self, whereas items in the column on the right indicate characteristics of the independent self. According to the total number of checks for each column, is your self-construal more interdependent or independent? To what extent does your cultural background relate to this result?

2.- It is possible that we each have both independent and interdependent self-construal. Harry Triandis (1994) suggested that individuals draw from different types of self-construal at any given moment depending on our cultural experiences and the situation. Describe below an instance in which you acted from an interdependent self-construal and one in which you acted from an independent self-construal.

© Copyright material from Susan B. Goldstein (2019), Cross-Cultural Explorations, Routledge.

# data[].attributes.body
Based on the survey's results answer these two questions.

1.- The items in the column on the left indicate characteristics of the interdependent self, whereas items in the column on the right indicate characteristics of the independent self. According to the total number of checks for each column, is your self-construal more interdependent or independent? To what extent does your cultural background relate to this result?

2.- It is possible that we each have both independent and interdependent self-construal. Harry Triandis (1994) suggested that individuals draw from different types of self-construal at any given moment depending on our cultural experiences and the situation. Describe below an instance in which you acted from an interdependent self-construal and one in which you acted from an independent self-construal.

© Copyright material from Susan B. Goldstein (2019), Cross-Cultural Explorations, Routledge.

# data[].attributes.body
Based on the survey's results answer these two questions.

1.- The items in the column on the left indicate characteristics of the interdependent self, whereas items in the column on the right indicate characteristics of the independent self. According to the total number of checks for each column, is your self-construal more interdependent or independent? To what extent does your cultural background relate to this result?

2.- It is possible that we each have both independent and interdependent self-construal. Harry Triandis (1994) suggested that individuals draw from different types of self-construal at any given moment depending on our cultural experiences and the situation. Describe below an instance in which you acted from an interdependent self-construal and one in which you acted from an independent self-construal.

© Copyright material from Susan B. Goldstein (2019), Cross-Cultural Explorations, Routledge.

# data[].attributes.body
Based on the survey's results answer these two questions.

1.- The items in the column on the left indicate characteristics of the interdependent self, whereas items in the column on the right indicate characteristics of the independent self. According to the total number of checks for each column, is your self-construal more interdependent or independent? To what extent does your cultural background relate to this result?

2.- It is possible that we each have both independent and interdependent self-construal. Harry Triandis (1994) suggested that individuals draw from different types of self-construal at any given moment depending on our cultural experiences and the situation. Describe below an instance in which you acted from an interdependent self-construal and one in which you acted from an independent self-construal.

© Copyright material from Susan B. Goldstein (2019), Cross-Cultural Explorations, Routledge.

# data[].attributes.body
Based on the survey's results answer these two questions.

1.- The items in the column on the left indicate characteristics of the interdependent self, whereas items in the column on the right indicate characteristics of the independent self. According to the total number of checks for each column, is your self-construal more interdependent or independent? To what extent does your cultural background relate to this result?

2.- It is possible that we each have both independent and interdependent self-construal. Harry Triandis (1994) suggested that individuals draw from different types of self-construal at any given moment depending on our cultural experiences and the situation. Describe below an instance in which you acted from an interdependent self-construal and one in which you acted from an independent self-construal.

© Copyright material from Susan B. Goldstein (2019), Cross-Cultural Explorations, Routledge.