Intercultural liking and cultural self-awareness on understanding behaviours

• Main Author: Koh, Wei Ling
• Other Authors: Wan Ching
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Social sciences::Psychology::Applied psychology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/149444
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This study explores cultural attribution of outgroup behaviours, specifically cultural stereotypes and cultural norms. Cultural stereotypes are stable, generalised internal dispositions of cultural groups’ members, whereas cultural norms are external expectations of behaviours cultural groups’ members are subjected to. Past studies describe liking-consistent behaviours (i.e., positive [negative] behaviours of liked [disliked] cultural outgroups) as more likely to be attributed to internal than external causes. Therefore, we expected more attribution of liking-consistent outgroup behaviours to cultural stereotypes than cultural norms (H1). Cultural self-awareness, the awareness of how one’s culture shapes them, was also explored as a moderator to H1 (H2). Through projection, cultural self-awareness may alter liking of outgroup culture and attribution patterns of outgroup behaviours. We expected the effect of H1 to be stronger for individuals with higher, than lower cultural self-awareness. 158 Singaporean Chinese reported their liking of Mainland China’s culture and cultural self-awareness levels. Then, depending on their assigned behavioural condition, they read three positive (negative) behaviour vignettes describing a protagonist behaving positively (negatively). Finally, they rated their attribution of each behaviour to personal characteristics, the environment, cultural stereotypes, and cultural norms. Participants with higher liking of outgroup culture attributed positive outgroup behaviours more to cultural stereotypes than norms. Negative outgroup behaviours were generally attributed more to cultural norms than stereotypes. Participants with lower liking of outgroup culture showed less of this attribution bias. No moderating effect of cultural self-awareness was found. Our findings hint at potential implications on outgroup attitudes and behaviours worth investigating in future studies.