Individualism and Collectivism

Concept of Self and Leadership

The core of individualism and collectivism lies in the concept of self. It is generally accepted that in individualist cultures people view themselves as having an independent concept of self, whereas in collectivist cultures people view themselves as having an interdependent concept of self. An individualist's concept of self does not include other people, roles, situations, or elements of nature. On the other hand, a collectivist's concept of self includes other members of family, friends, people from the workplace, and even elements of nature. People in Western countries like the United States, Great Britain, Australia, and Germany, have an independent concept of self, and they feel a more pronounced social distance between themselves and others, including the immediate family. People in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and elsewhere have an interdependent concept of self, and social distance between an individual and his or her parents, spouse, siblings, children, friends, neighbors, supervisors, subordinates, and so forth is small.

Concept of self can be viewed as digital or analogue: digital for individualists and analogue for collectivists. When individualists think of themselves and others, they are clear that their self only includes themselves. “This is me, but that is not me. My mother is not a part of me. My child is not a part of me. They are separate from me.” There is no overlap between their selves and others. In other words their view of themselves is digital. On the other hand, when collectivists think of people in their family (e.g., parents, spouse, children, siblings, and so forth), they feel these people are a part of their selves. For example, one's thinking may proceed like this: “My father is a part of me, not completely me, but somewhat a part of me. My child is a bigger part of me compared to my father, not completely me, but, yes, a good part of me.” The same feeling holds in case of other relatives, friends, and even neighbors. Thus, they have an analogue self. Of course, the biological self is digital for individualists as well as collectivists. It is the socially constructed self that is digital or analogue.

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