Chinese Authority-Directed Orientation and Japanese Peer-Group Orientation: Questioning the Notion of Collectivism

Abstract

This article describes the differing socialities of 2 of the cultural groups of East Asia, the Chinese and the Japanese, both of which have been characterized as “collectivistic” or “interdependent” in a great deal of research, and questions the wisdom of such categorizations. Rooted in the familial environment and kinship relationships supported by the ideology of Confucianism, the Chinese have developed a particular form of authority-directed orientation while retaining a strong sense of individuality. The Japanese, on the other hand, have developed a different pattern of peer-group orientation by virtue of their different social and historical circumstances. These culture-specific patterns are nurtured by child-rearing and educational practices and sustained by other institutional settings. Future research needs to be directed toward uncovering such qualitative differences among cultural groups of the East as well as those of the West.