1099-0984/asset/olbannerleft.jpg?v=1&s=20a4a5445b66ceeacdd74562919b5e9ea0956bdf)
Special Issue Paper
Why do Westerners self-enhance more than East Asians?
Article first published online: 8 APR 2009
DOI: 10.1002/per.715
Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Issue
1099-0984/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=4baf6340500b660eb385ba57cc344ecf59910dd0 "European Journal of Personality")
European Journal of Personality
Special Issue: Personality and Culture
Volume 23, Issue 3, pages 183–203, May 2009
Additional Information
How to Cite
Falk, C. F., Heine, S. J., Yuki, M. and Takemura, K. (2009), Why do Westerners self-enhance more than East Asians?. Eur. J. Pers., 23: 183–203. doi: 10.1002/per.715
Publication History
- Issue published online: 8 APR 2009
- Article first published online: 8 APR 2009
- Manuscript Revised: 16 FEB 2009
- Manuscript Accepted: 16 FEB 2009
- Manuscript Received: 14 SEP 2008
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- culture;
- relational mobility;
- self-esteem;
- self-enhancement;
- automatic processes
Abstract
Much research finds that Westerners self-enhance more than East Asians, with the exception of studies using the implicit associations test for self-esteem (IATSE). We contrasted Japanese and Canadians on a new measure of self-enhancement under low- and high-attentional load to assess whether cultural differences vary across controlled and automatic processes. Participants also completed measures of relational mobility and the IATSE. Results indicated that Japanese and Asian-Canadians were more self-critical than Euro-Canadians, both under high- and low-attentional load. This cultural difference was partially mediated by relational mobility. The IATSE showed no cultural differences, but this measure did not positively correlate with any of the other measures in the study, suggesting that it is not a valid measure of ‘true’ self-feelings. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.