Independent and Interdependent Self-Construal Revisited: Cultural Patterns and Psychological Correlates

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between independent and interdependent self-construals, as measured by the Self-Construal Scale (SCS), to evaluate the independence of these constructs, and their associations with analytic-holistic thinking (Analysis-Holism Scale; AHS), Big Five personality traits, and subjective well-being across five cultural groups. Participants included 440 individuals from Korea (n = 109), Canada (n = 256; 90 European, 53 East Asian, 113 South Asian), and the United States (n = 75 European Americans). Independent and interdependent self-construals were uncorrelated among Koreans, European Canadians, and European Americans, consistent with theoretical expectations, whereas East Asian and South Asian Canadians showed positive correlations between the two self-construals. Self-construals also exhibited distinct patterns of associations with personality traits and subjective well-being indicators across cultural groups. These findings provide partial support for the theoretical independence of the two dimensions: independence was observed in monocultural groups, whereas a closer association emerged in bicultural groups. Overall, these results underscore the importance of evaluating the cross-cultural applicability of the SCS and AHS and highlight the need for culturally sensitive measurement approaches, particularly for bicultural populations, when assessing individuals’ self-construals.