The Implicative Meaning of the Greek Concept of Philotimo

Abstract

This study investigated the implicative meaning of philotimo (or "love of honor"-the highest Greek value, which regulates proper in-group behavior) across milieux within Greece. The antecedent-consequent method of measuring subjective culture was used. The sample interviewed consisted of 740 subjects (47% male and 53% female) 15 to 64 years of age, who were representative of Athens and Thessaloniki (30% of Greece's population). Findings showed that as milieu complexity, education, and social involvement increase, the antecedents and consequents of philotimo change. The direction of change suggests that, when the individual moves from a less to a more highly complex milieu within Greece, his social conduct ceases to be regulated by ingroup norms, and role perceptions become more important. Consequently, philotimo is expressed in terms allowing for more individualized interpretation depending on the social context.