Social Psychology of Globalization: Joint Activation of Cultures and Reactions to Foreign Cultural Influence
Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: Globalization has resulted in experiential compression of time and space—people are often exposed to local and foreign cultural symbols simultaneously. Psychological consequences of this kind of cultural exposure (termed bicultural priming) remained largely unexplored. This research examines how bicultural priming influences individuals’ reactions to foreign cultures. Recent research suggests that bicultural priming highlights cultural differences and the belief that cultures are incompatible. I propose that people are motivated to resist influence from a dissimilar culture when they are concerned with the continuity of their culture. Thus, to protect the vitality of their culture, people under bicultural priming and are concerned about cultural erosion are likely to resist a foreign business that is perceived to be a source of foreign cultural influence. I tested and found support for these hypotheses in 3 experiments. Study 1 showed that Chinese had a higher level of chronic cultural erosion concern than Americans. Under bicultural priming, Chinese were more likely than Americans to resist a foreign company that was perceived to be an agent of cultural influence. Study 2 showed that Americans showed the same pattern of result as the Chinese participants did when the concern with cultural erosion was experimentally heightened. Study 3 showed that affirming cultural continuity or the continuity of one’s personal values reduces this effect. These results showed that cultural continuity concern triggers negative reactions to foreign cultures in a culturally mixed environment.
Author: Shirley Y. Y. Cheng
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2200667832