The relationship between collective self-esteem and self-construal in Japan and Canada

The study examined the relationship between various facets of collective se lf-esteem (R. Luhtanen & J. Crocker, 1992) and independent and interdepende nt self-construals (H. R. Markus & S. Kitayama, 1991) among students in Jap an and Canada. The results suggested that individuals with highly interdepe ndent self-construals regarded social group memberships as self-defining, r egardless of culture. Individuals with independent self-construals judged t heir groups positively and felt they were worthy members of their groups an d that others evaluated their groups positively. Canadians who evaluated th eir social groups favorably may be members of groups that permitted them to be independent. In contrast, individuals in Japan who judged their groups favorably may be members of groups that promoted interdependence in additio n to independence.