PREFERRED STYLES OF CONFLICT-RESOLUTION - MEXICO AND THE UNITED-STATES

This study examined cultural differences in preferences for conflict r esolution styles using the dual-concern model. It was found that stude nts in a collectivistic culture (Mexico) preferred conflict resolution styles that emphasized concern for the outcomes of others (accommodat ion and collaboration) to a greater degree than did students from an i ndividualistic culture (United States). Consistent with this greater d isplay of concern for others, the Mexican students scored significantl y higher than the U.S. students on scales measuring interdependence of the self. However, they also scored higher on a scale measuring the i ndependence of the self, suggesting that independence of the self and interdependence of the self may be separate dimensions, rather than re presenting a continuum. Correlational findings suggested that for inte rpersonal conflicts, avoidance may reflect a concern for others, rathe r than a lack of concern for others, as postulated by the dual-concern model.