Research Interests

U.S. regional differences in Individualism and Collectivism

Cultural and cross-cultural psychologists have given a lot of attention to the concepts of individualism and collectivism. Most of this research has compared U.S. samples (an individualistic culture) to East Asian samples (collectivist cultures). Although the United States is the prototypical individualistic culture, there is a good deal of regional variation within the United States on the I-C dimension.

I have created an index that measures collectivist versus individualist tendencies at the state level (Vandello & Cohen, 1999). This index revealed regional patterns such that Southern states tended to be relatively collectivistic and states in the Mountain West and Great Plains tended to be relatively individualistic (click here to see a map of regional patterns of collectivism). These regional patterns of I-C were predicted by several historical and social antecedents. For example, affluence tended to correlate with individualism and population density tended to correlate with collectivism. A history of herding and small, self-operated farms correlated with individualism, whereas a history of agriculture and large, plantation-type farming correlated with collectivism. We also used the index to predict several contemporary consequences of individualism and collectivism. For example, suicide and bing-drinking rates correlated with individualism, whereas gender and racial equality also correlated with individualism.

In more recent research, I have used this state-level collectivism index in a research project examining cultural influences on domestic violence (Vandello & Cohen, under revision). In this study, we found that state-level homicide rates by males against romantic female partners correlated with collectivism, gender inequality, and an emphasis on female purity.

In other research examining regional cultural differences across the United States, I am collaborating with a number of colleagues led by Ted Singelis on a project exploring regional and ethnic differences in social beliefs (Singelis, et al, under review).

References:

Vandello, J. A., & Cohen, D. (1999). Paterns of individualism and collectivism across the United States. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 279-292.

Vandello, J. A., & Cohen, D. (under revision). Cultural themes associated with domestic violence against women: A cross-cultural analysis.

Singelis, T., Her, P., Aaker, J., Bhawuk, D., Gabrenya, B., Gelfand, M., Harwood, J., Tanaka-Matsumi, J., & Vandello, J. (under review). Ethnic and regional differences in social axioms.

Home