How they pick out the answer in multiple choice questionnaire: Independent-self versus interdependent-self

Abstract

Attentiveness to others is more likely to be a self-defining goal when the self is thought of as interdependent with others rather than independent of others. We predicted that interdependent – self is more attentive in common ground than independent – self in multiple choice questionnaire. In experiment 1, participants’ temporary self-construal was manipulated thought a priming technique. As predicted, interdependence-primed participants were more likely than independence-primed participants to take the recipients’ knowledge into account and avoided providing redundant information in a self-administered questionnaire. Drawing on chronic differences in self-construal, experiment 2, replicated these findings with participants from independent and interdependent selves. The implications of these results for increasing understanding of behavioral priming effects in rich social contexts are discussed. Throughout, participants’ differential attentiveness to the common ground resulted in differential question order effects, raising important methological issues for cross-cultural research; We expect to finding culture differentiation between Korean to western people (USA or European etc.) as further study


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