Inter- and Independent Cultural Perspectives

Western cultures such American and European tend to view individuals as independent or in control of one's own behavior and self-sustaining. In contrast, the Asian perspective holds individuals as interdependent or the product of continued interaction with and dependence upon others. Independent and interdependent cultural perspectives impact social cognition differently.

There are many areas specific to social cognition which demonstrate independent versus interdependent perspectives. These include study of the self, attribution, modes of processing, motivation or locus of control, cognitive consistency, moral judgment, and acculturation. For example, individuals having predominately independent perspectives may make attributions that too, are more independent in nature versus someone having an interdependent perspective.

For this Discussion, consider the extent to which you identify with the independent and/or interdependent perspectives. To what extent to you feel you control your behavior versus being informed by other people in order to think, feel, and behave? Consider how these perspectives might impact your daily life.