The Role of Culture in Context Sensitivity and Social Anxiety

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

27-4-2009 1:00 PM

End Date

27-4-2009 3:00 PM

Student's Major

Psychology

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Vinai Norasakkunkit

Mentor's Department

Psychology

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

Studies have suggested that levels of social anxiety are positively correlated with levels of interdependent self-construal and inversely correlated with independent self-construal. The interdependent self-concept (most commonly represented by East Asian cultures) is characterized by the interrelatedness of the individual to others and to the surrounding environment. In contrast to the Independent self-construal (commonly represented by West European and American cultures), the interdependent self-construal fosters higher levels of awamess to contextual surroundings. That is, East Asians are more sensitive to context than are European-American counterparts. Although high sensitivity to context has constituted for social functioning within interdependent societies, the same amount of contextual sensitivity has prevailed as a warning sign for social dysfiinction within European-American society. A cross-cultural study was conducted between students from a university in Hyogo, Japan and students from MSU to investigate selfreported levels of social anxiety as it relates to context sensitvity. Results suggested that as context sensitivity is associated with social anxiety among European-Americans, there is no associatation between context sensitivity and social anxiety among Japanese participants.

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Apr 27th, 1:00 PM Apr 27th, 3:00 PM

The Role of Culture in Context Sensitivity and Social Anxiety

CSU Ballroom

Studies have suggested that levels of social anxiety are positively correlated with levels of interdependent self-construal and inversely correlated with independent self-construal. The interdependent self-concept (most commonly represented by East Asian cultures) is characterized by the interrelatedness of the individual to others and to the surrounding environment. In contrast to the Independent self-construal (commonly represented by West European and American cultures), the interdependent self-construal fosters higher levels of awamess to contextual surroundings. That is, East Asians are more sensitive to context than are European-American counterparts. Although high sensitivity to context has constituted for social functioning within interdependent societies, the same amount of contextual sensitivity has prevailed as a warning sign for social dysfiinction within European-American society. A cross-cultural study was conducted between students from a university in Hyogo, Japan and students from MSU to investigate selfreported levels of social anxiety as it relates to context sensitvity. Results suggested that as context sensitivity is associated with social anxiety among European-Americans, there is no associatation between context sensitivity and social anxiety among Japanese participants.

Recommended Citation

Gile, Jaclyn R.. "The Role of Culture in Context Sensitivity and Social Anxiety." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 27, 2009.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2009/poster-session-B/30