PSYCHOSOCIAL-ASPECTS OF MODERNIZATION AND ECONOMIC-DEVELOPMENT IN EAST-ASIAN NATIONS

The present article discusses psychosocial aspects of modernization an d economic development among East Asian nations. The authors suggest t hat modernization and economic development among those nations known a s the ''Five Tigers'' (i.e., Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and T aiwan) was influenced both by a number of economic, historical, and po litical forces, and by a unique pattern and process of modernization t hat involved cultural traditions that can best be described as 'Easter nization' rather than Westernization. The article discusses the East A sian values and behavior patterns associated with ''Easternization,'' and reviews the research literature regarding modernization, pointing out the problems that arise when we fail to distinguish between Wester nization and modernization. Easternization is considered an alternativ e pathway to modernization and economic development.