Collectivism/Individualism

Characteristics

As levels of identity, collectivism and individualism present an ideological view that has a great deal of influence in the world. One of the characteristics associated with a collectivist ideology is that it is group-specificity: The group is the primary focus and the individual is secondary. So, for example, the villager's need for attention and recognition is given up, to a certain degree, so that the village receives the necessary recognition. Here, the individual has a collective responsibility to ensure that the group develops and progresses.

On the other hand, self-specificity is a characteristic associated with individualism, particularly in American culture. The self is the primary focus and the group is viewed as being secondary. Michael L. Hecht, Ronald L. Jackson II, and Sidney A. Ribeau suggest that, as a Westernized concept, the symbolic self is viewed as a unique entity or property of the individual. For example, self-concept, self-esteem, and self-perception are things that an individual has within himself or herself that impact the individual's behavior and how he or she functions and relates to others in various situations. As a result, the primacy of self privileges the individual's need and desire for recognition and achievement over the “greater good” of the community. Here, the individual's self-interest is the “greater good.”

Another characteristic associated with the collectivist ideology is interdependence. In collectivistic cultures, group members share responsibilities, roles, and relationships with others within the community or family structure in order to accomplish a particular goal or task. Each member of the collective is defined by the relationship they have with other members of the group. The African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” is a good example of how each individual member contributes his or her life lessons, talents, values, and beliefs to the growth and development of the child.

By contrast, the characteristic associated with individualism is independence. Here, the “lines” between people are clearly demarcated. Each person is viewed as his or her own separate and independent unit. Each person has rights and responsibilities, and each person's identity is the direct result of individual effort, self-sufficiency, and accomplishments. The “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” phraseologism is a vivid metaphor for “sizing up” American individualism because it suggests that an individual make his or her own way without help or assistance from others.

A final characteristic associated with collectivism is holism or circularity. Collectivities, such as families and groups, are holistic entities by nature. Members of collectivities seek both balance and harmony as a result of their interdependent interactions with themselves and others.

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