Cross-cultural differences in the reactivity to self-concept primes and the mediating role of self-monitoring /by Gary Hagy.

This study investigated cross-cultural differences between Americans (N = 127) and Japanese (N = 137) in the reactivity to self-concept priming. Previous research shows that those from an individualistic culture (Americans) display an independent self-concept and those from a collectivist culture (Japanese) display an interdependent self-concept. Results in self-view showed that Americans (M = 112.28, SD = 12.25) were significantly more independent than Japanese (M = 103.93, SD = 12.25) but participants from both cultures were equally interdependent. A private self-prime and a collective self-prime procedure were used to elicit different views of the self. The priming procedures were shown to be ineffective in producing changes in self-view. If the priming procedures had been more effective, perhaps self-monitoring would have played a stronger role. The mediating role of self-monitoring is discussed