How do individualistic and collectivistic societies differ in ...

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How do individualistic and collectivistic societies differ in their attributions?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

You are from the United States and your friend Trang is from Vietnam. How might you differ in the way you would each finish the phrase, I am . . . ?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

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Answer to Question 1

Answer: Individualistic cultural systems focus more on the individual and his choices and personality. Such an emphasis on the person is called an internal attribution. In contrast, collectivistic systems focus more on the surrounding situation, called an external attribution. When shown an underwater scene and later asked to describe it, Japanese remembered more of the background features (such as rocks and plants), and Americans were more likely to focus on a single object, such as the biggest fish.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: People from individualistic cultures are more likely to mention personal attributes when they finish the sentence I am . . .  (I am tall, I am ambitious), and people from collectivistic cultures are more likely to mention group memberships and affiliations (I am a daughter, I am Puerto Rican). Individualism (such as in the United States) separates the self from others, but collectivism unites the self and others.