1.4 - Whose Fault? Why Values Matter

Research has shown that individualism, which implies self-sufficiency and self-interest, is most prevalent in the United States, while many other societies put an emphasis on collectivism, being concerned first for the welfare of the group before oneself. Clearly there are many consequences in a society depending upon whether you tend towards the individual or collective model. Among the most obvious is the how being a member of a culture affects your reactions to issues of loyalty and ideas about responsibility. Your beliefs (and those of the host culture) can have ethical, legal, and moral implications regarding your behavior and what might be expected of you. The continuum which measures this kind of cultural choice in terms of social and personal obligations is often termed "Universalism versus Particularism." You can quickly gauge your own tendency by doing the following two exercises beginning with "The Accident."

Back
Next