This study examined cultural differences in preferences for conflict resolution styles using the dual-concern model. It was found that students in a collectivistic culture (Mexico) preferred conflict resolution styles that emphasized concern for the outcomes of others (accommodation and collaboration) to a greater degree than did students from an individualistic culture (United States). Consistent with this greater display of concern for others, the Mexican students scored significantly higher than the U.S. students on scales measuring interdependence of the self. However, they also scored higher on a scale measuring the independence of the self, suggesting that independence of the self and interdependence of the self may be separate dimensions, rather than representing a continuum. Correlational findings suggested that for interpersonal conflicts, avoidance may reflect a concern for others, rather than a lack of concern for others, as postulated by the dual-concern model.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Barnlund, D.C. (1989). Communicative styles of Japanese and Americans: Images and realities. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
2.
Berman, J. J. , Berman, V. M., & Singh, P. (1985). Cross-cultural similarities and differences in children's decision rules: A comparison between Japan and Australia. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49, 1557-1564.
3.
Brislin, R. W. (1981). Cross-cultural encounters: Face-to-face interaction. New York: Pergamon.
4.
Chua, E. , & Gudykunst, W. (1987). Conflict resolution style in low- and, high-context cultures. Communication Research Reports, 4, 32-37.
5.
Condon, J. C. (1985). Good neighbors: Communicating with the Mexicans. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
6.
Díaz-Guerrero, R. (1967). Psychology of the Mexican: Culture and personality. Austin: University of Texas Press.
7.
Díaz-Loving, R. , Díaz-Guerrero, R., Helmreich, R., & Spence, J. (1981). Comparaci6n trans-cultural y analisis psicometrico de una dedida de rasgos masculinos (instrumentales) y femininos (expresivos) [Cross-cultural comparison and psychometric analysis of masculine (instrumental) and feminine (expressive) traits]. Revista de la Asociaci6n Latinoamericana de Psicología Social, 1, 3-37.
8.
Gire, J. T. , & Carment, D. W. (1992). Dealing with disputes: The influence of individualism-collectivism. Journal of Social Psychology, 133, 81-95.
9.
Glaser, R. , & Glaser, C. (1991). Negotiating style profile. King of Prussia, PA: Organization Design and Development.
10.
Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture's consequences: International differences in work-related values. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
11.
Hui, C. H. , & Triandis, H. C. (1986). Individualism-collectivism: A study of cross-cultural researchers. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 17, 225-248.
12.
Kashima, Y. (1987). Conceptions of person: Implications in individualism/collectivism research. In C. Kagit,ibasi (Ed.), Growth and progress in cross-cultural psychology. (pp. 410-424). Lisse, the Netherlands: Swets & Zeitlinger.
13.
Kim, U. , Triandis, H. C., Kagitçibasi, C., Choi, S., & Yoon, G. (Eds.). (1994). Individualism and collectivism. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
14.
Kitayama, S., Markus, H. R., Tummala, P., Kurokawa, M., & Kato, K. S. (1991). Self-other similarity judgments depend on culture. Unpublished manuscript, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
15.
Knight, C. , Kagan, S., & Martinez-Romero, S. (1982). Culture and development of conflict resolution style. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 13, 43-59.
16.
Kras, E. (1989). Management in two cultures: Bridging the gap between U.S. and Mexican managers. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
17.
Leung, K. (1987). Some determinants of reactions to procedural models for conflict resolution: A cross-national study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 1134-1140.
18.
Leung, K. (1988). Some determinants of conflict avoidance. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 19, 125-136.
19.
Leung, K. , Au, Y., Fernández-Dols, J. M., & Iwawaki, S. (1992). Preference for methods of conflict processing in two collectivist cultures. International Journal of Psychology, 272, 195-209.
20.
Leung, K. , Bond, M. H., Carment, D. W., Krishnan, L., & Liebrand, W.B.G. (1990). Effects of cultural femininity on preference for methods of conflict processing: A cross-cultural study. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 26, 373-338.
21.
Leung, K. , & Iwawaki, S. (1988). Cultural collectivism and distributive behavior. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 19, 35-49.
22.
Leung, K. , & Lind, E. A. (1986). Procedure and culture: Effects of culture, gender, and investigator status on procedural preferences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 1134-1140.
23.
Leung, K. , & Wu, P. (1990). Dispute processing: A cross-cultural analysis. In R. W. Brislin (Ed.), Applied cross-cultural psychology (pp. 209-231). London: Sage.
24.
Mann, L. , Radford, M., & Kanagawa, C. (1985). Cross-cultural differences in children's decision rules: A comparison between Japan and Australia. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49, 1557-1564.
25.
March, R. M. (1988). The Japanese negotiator. New York: Kodansha.
26.
Markus, H. R. , & Kitayama, S. (1991). Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. Psychological Review, 98, 224-253.
27.
Pearson, V.M.S. , & Stephan, W. G. (in press). Preferences for styles of negotiation: A comparison of Brazil and the U.S.International Journal of Intercultural Relations.
28.
Pruitt, D. G. (1982). Negotiation behavior. New York. Academic Press.
29.
Pruitt, D. G. (1991). Strategic choice in negotiation. In J. W. Brislin & J. Z. Rubin (Eds.), Negotiation theory and practice. (pp. 78-89). Cambridge, MA: Program on Negotiation Books.
30.
Pruitt, D. G. , & Carnavale, P. J. (1993). Negotiation in social conflict. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
31.
Pruitt, D. G. , & Rubin, J. Z. (1986). Social conflict escalation, stalemate, and settlement. New York: Random House.
32.
Rubin, J. Z. (1992). Conflict, negotiation, and peace: Psychological perspectives and roles. In S. Staubs & P. Green (Eds.), Psychology and social responsibility: Facing global challenge. (pp. 121-144). New York: New York University Press.
33.
Rubin, J. Z. , & Brislin, J. W. (1991). Negotiation theory and practice. Cambridge, MA: Program on Negotiation Books.
34.
Rubin, J. Z. , Pruitt, D. G., & Kim, S. H. (199-). Social conflict. New York: McGraw-Hill.
35.
Singelis, T. M. (1994). The measurement of independent and interdependent self-construals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 20, 580-591.
36.
Spence, J. T. (1985). Achievement American style: The rewards and costs of individualism. The American Psychologist, 40, 1285-1295.
37.
Spence, J. T. , & Helmreich, R. L. (1978). Masculinity & femininity, their psychological dimensions, correlates, and antecedents. Austin: University of Texas Press.
38.
Stephan, W. G. , Stephan, C. W., & Cabezas de Vargas, M. (1996). Emotional expression in Costa Rica and the United States. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 27, 147-160.
39.
Sternberg, R. J. , & Dobson, D. M. (1987). Resolving interpersonal conflicts: An analysis of stylistic consistency. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 794-812.
40.
Ting-Toomey, S. (1988, May). Intercultural conflict styles: A face-negotiation theory. Paper presented at the meeting of the International Communications Association, New Orleans.
41.
Triandis, H. C. (1989). The self and social behavior in differing cultural contexts. Psychological Review, 96, 506-520.
42.
Triandis, H. C. (1990). Toward cross-cultural studies of individualism and collectivism in Latin America. Revista Interamericana de Psicologia/Interamerican Journal of Psychology, 24, 199-210.
43.
Triandis, H. C. , Bontempo, R., Villareal, J., Asai, M., & Lucca, N. (1988). Individualism and collectivism: Cross-cultural perspectives on self in-group relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 323-338.
44.
Triandis, H. C. , Brislin, R. W., & Hui, C. H. (1988). Cross-cultural training across the individualism-collectivism divide. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 12, 269-289.
45.
Triandis, H. C. , Leung, K., Villareal, M. J., & Clack, R L. (1985). Allocentric versus idiocentric tendencies: Convergent and discriminant validation. Journal of Research in Personality, 19, 398-415.
46.
Triandis, H. C. , Marin, G., Lisansky, J., & Betancourt, H. (1984). Simpatía as a cultural script of Hispanics. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 47, 1363-1375.
47.
Trubisky, P. , Ting-Toomey, S., & Sung-Ling, L. (1991). The influence of individualism-collectivism and self-monitoring on conflict styles. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 15, 65-84.
48.
Wheeler, L. , Reis, H. T., & Bond, M. H. (1989). Collectivism-individualism in everyday social life: The middle kingdom and the melting pot. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 13, 186-200.
