Individualism-Collectivism Scale – Chinese Version

Description

Culture is considered a widely used but difficult to define concept (Huang et al., 2014). Scholars typically define different cultures through behavioral differences. Among the definitions of culture, individualism and collectivism are recognized as two significant dimensions. Individualists view individuals as existing independently of organizations, and individual expectations drive individualistic behaviors; in contrast, collectivists see themselves as part of an organization with shared goals, interdependent relationships, and strong emphasis on interpersonal relationship management (Triandis, 1996).

Countries are categorized into four types based on varying degrees of cultural differences: ① 水平的个人主义 (Horizontal Individualism) – individuals are autonomous, with equal status among members; typical examples include Sweden; ② 垂直的个人主义 (Vertical Individualism) – individuals are autonomous and acknowledge differences in status among members, emphasizing competition and self-reliance, such as in Western countries, especially the United States; ③ 水平的集体主义 (Horizontal Collectivism) – members are interdependent with equal status, tending towards complementary personalities, exemplified by Israel; ④ 垂直的集体主义 (Vertical Collectivism) – members can accept social status inequalities, where values are served within organizations, and members may sacrifice for the collective, as seen in rural India.

Generally, the rise in divorce rates and rates of living alone, along with the decline in multigenerational cohabitation and family size, can reflect the increase in individualism and the decrease in collectivism (Triandis, 1995). Many studies have attempted to reveal the patterns of social cultural changes through the examination of these indicators. In the United States, a study found significant and continuing declines in social indicators such as the marriage–divorce rate, the ratio of three-generation to cohabitation rates, and average family size over the past two centuries (Grossmann & Varnum, 2015). Similar phenomena were found in studies conducted in Japan (Hamamura, 2012) and China (Huang, Wang, & Cai, 2016): rising divorce rates and declining family size and multigenerational cohabitation rates. A recent study surveyed 71 countries and regions globally, revealing similar changes in these social indicators across these nations and regions (Santos, Varnum, & Grossmann, 2017). Together, these studies demonstrate a rising trend in individualism and a decline in collectivism on a global scale.

Authors and Contact Email

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Purpose

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Test Year

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Administration Method and Scoring

For measuring individualism/collectivism orientation, the four-dimensional version revised by Triandis & Gelfand (1998) will be used, categorizing individualism/collectivism orientation into 水平个人主义 (Horizontal Individualism), 垂直个人主义 (Vertical Individualism), 水平集体主义 (Horizontal Collectivism), and 垂直集体主义 (Vertical Collectivism), with four items per dimension. This 16-item scale is a refined version based on 32 items, tailored for Asian countries like South Korea, making it more suitable for Asian value orientation, with a reliability above 0.7.

Reliability and Validity

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Factors and Subscales

The individual/collectivism orientation scale (individualism-collectivism scale) prompts respondents to select the option most closely representing their condition, with choices ranging from “非常不同意” (Strongly Disagree) to “非常同意” (Strongly Agree).

Keywords

Individualism, Collectivism, Horizontal Individualism, Vertical Individualism, Horizontal Collectivism, Vertical Collectivism, Social Indicators

Items in Chinese

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Items in English

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References

Huang et al. (2014), Triandis (1996), Triandis (1995), Grossmann & Varnum (2015), Hamamura (2012), Huang, Wang, & Cai (2016), Santos, Varnum, & Grossmann (2017).