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Regular version of the site

Researchers of ILSCR at international conferences

Regional Conference of the International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP) entitled "Istanbul: 25 years later: Self-Reflections and Future Directions" held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 30th June to 3 July.

The main scientific event in cross-cultural psychology – Annual IACCP Conference – returned to one of the most beautiful and culturally diverse cities in the world – Istanbul – 25 years later. Employees of the International Laboratory of Socio-Cultural Research took active part in it.

The scientific supervisor of Laboratory Shalom Schwartz was a chairman of the two symposia "A Refined Theory of Human Values: What, How, and Why?" and "Cross-Cultural and Cross-Age Studies of Basic Human Values". S. Schwartz presented a paper "A Revised Theory and New Instrument to Measure Basic Individual Values". There were also presented several studies conducted in collaboration with Schwartz.

The head of the laboratory Nadezhda Lebedeva in the session "Acculturation within School Context" gave a presentation on the theme "Training of Intercultural Competence and Tolerance (TICT): The Programme and Results". In the framework of the thematic session "Environmental Protection, Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development", N. Lebedeva and V. Chirkov, presented the report "Psychological Autonomy, Culture of Horizontality, and Human Flourishing: A Person-Centered Approach to Socio-Economic Transitions". A chief researcher Valery Chirkov also presented his study "Enculturation, Acquisition of Autonomy and Acculturation: A Phenomenological Perspective on Analysis of Immigrants' Life-Worlds" in the symposium on "Psychology of Immigration and Psychology of Acculturation: New Perspectives".

Senior researcher Alexander Tatarko presented a report "Social Capital and Models of Economic Behaviour: A Cross-Cultural Analysis". Trainee researcher Lusine Grigoryan presented a report "The Economic Attitudes of Russians and Caucasians: Comparative Analysis". Trainee Researcher Sofia Isaakyan spoke on "Interconnection between Values and Monetary Behavior in Russians and Caucasians", prepared jointly with the trainee researcher Natalia Amerhanova. These studies were carried out within the international project of the laboratory and submitted for one session – "Morality, Ethics and Instrumental Values". The chair of the session was Sofia Isaakyan.

A poster entitled "Relationships Between Cultural Values of Russians and the Models of Socio-Economic Behavior" was presented by a trainee researcher Olga Pavlenko on poster-section of the conference "Social Psychology, Cultural Intelligence and Values, Organizational Behavior".

After IACCP Regional Conference, XII European Congress of Psychology held in Istanbul on 4-8 July. The motto of the conference was "Understanding & Embracing Diversity": indeed, there were practically all branches of modern psychology. At the congress remained Lusine Grigoryan, presenting two papers there: "Cross-confessional Comparison of Values (Russian Christians and Muslims)" and 'Values and Personality Characteristics as Predictors of Ethnic Intolerance ".

The next conference of IACCP – XXI International Congress "Nurturing Diversity for Sustainable Development" is expected in Stellenbosch, South Africa, 17-21 July 2012. XIII European Congress of Psychology will be held in two years in Stockholm, Sweden, 9-12 July 2013.

More information on past conferences can be found at:

http://www.iaccp2011.org/

http://www.ecp2011.org/

Olga Pavlenko

Abstracts: IACCP Regional Conference, 30 June – 3 July

A Revised Theory and New Instrument to Measure Basic Individual Values

Shalom Schwartz, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Michele Vecchione, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy

Researchers have largely ignored a central assumption of Schwartz' theory of basic individual values: The array of values represents a circular continuum of motivations analogous with the circular continuum of colors. Partitioning the continuum into 10 discrete values was an arbitrary scientific convenience. One could reasonably partition the domain of values into broader or more fine-tuned value constructs, depending on how finely one wishes to discriminate among motivations. I present a revised theory intended to provide greater predictive and interpretive power than the original 10 by partitioning the value continuum into 19 distinct values. This theory retains the strengths of the original because the 19 values can be combined to recapture the original 10 or the 4 higher-order values. I also present an experimental instrument to measure the 19 values that is designed to provide improved reliability and validity.

 

The Structure of Relations Among 19 Values: A Multidimensional Scaling

Michele Vecchione, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy

Shalom Schwartz, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

We assessed the structure of relations among the 19 values with multidimensional scaling (MDS) analyses of responses to the experimental PVQ5X. 15 samples from 10 countries completed the PVQ5X in their native language. MDS analyses examined the distinctiveness of the 19 values, their locations around the circular continuum, and whether they could be collapsed into the original 10 and the four higher-order values. We included 48 items supported by CFA. Combined analyses across samples yielded 17 distinguishable values and two blended adjacent values. All items were located in their a priori regions. These values could be collapsed into the original 10 or into the higher order values. Analyses within the 15 samples supported the refined theory at a level comparable to earlier research on the original theory; but benevolence and universalism values were consistently reversed in the circle.

 

Evaluating the Structure of 19 Human Values with Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Jan Cieciuch, University of Finance and Management, Poland

Eldad Davidov, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Shalom Schwartz, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Michele Vecchione, The University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy

We tested the discriminability of the 19 values proposed in the revised theory of basic values using the experimental Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ5x) which includes 57 items, three for each value. We tested versions with 6pt and 11pt response scales. 2156 adults and 3908 university students participated from ten countries: Finland, Germany, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States. The confirmatory factor model posited 19 value factors with a common factor loading on all the items. After dropping nine items, the model yielded an acceptable fit, discriminating 19 values, for both response formats. Fit indexes were better for the 6pt response scale. Loadings of the value items on the common factor varied and are interpreted as reflecting susceptibility to response bias. Factor scores can be used to related the 19 values to other variables.

 

A Short Scale to Measure the Four Higher-Order Schwartz' Values in Surveys

Constanze Beierlein, GESIS-Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Germany

Christoph J. Kemper, GESIS-Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Germany

Anastassiya Kovaleva, GESIS-Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Germany

Beatrice Rammstedt, GESIS-Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Germany

Shalom Schwartz, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Schwartz' 10 basic human values predict numerous attitudes and behaviors across cultures. Measuring all 10 values requires relatively lengthy instruments (e.g., 40 item Portrait Value Questionnaire, 57 item Schwartz Value Survey). However, given limited resources of time and money, surveys require short, valid, and reliable instruments. Therefore, instead of assessing all ten values, we selected PVQ-items that serve as good indicators for the four global value dimensions (Schwartz & Boehnke, 2004): Self-Enhancement, Self-Transcendence, Openness to change, Conservation. Using data from the ESS, we measured these four poles with one item from each of the two to three values that combine to form that pole. Confirmatory Multidimensional Scaling and Confirmatory Factor Analysis yielded a set of items that consistently represented the global value dimensions best throughout the different samples. Implications for measuring values in cross-cultural samples will be discussed.

 

Training of Intercultural Competence and Tolerance (TICT): The Programme and Results

Nadezhda Lebedeva, State University - Higher School of Economics, Russia

The paper presents the TICT for high school students, its implementation within the multi-ethnic schools of the Russian Federation and empirical evaluation of its effectiveness. The TICT consists of six thematic sessions. The training addresses cross-cultural psychology issues and includes both known and new training methods of the intercultural sensitization and competence. It also aims at reducing anxiety in intercultural interaction, overcoming ethnic prejudices and negative stereotypes, formation of cognitive and emotional empathy, development of the isomorphic attribution of out-group behaviour, formation of the common identity, and modelling of the positive behaviour patterns in the intercultural interaction. The results of evaluation indicate that the TICT contributes to the growth of the positive ethnic identity and formation of the civic identity among the participating youth. It also raises their optimism addressing the future of inter-ethnic relations in Russia.

 

Psychological Autonomy, Culture of Horizontality, and Human Flourishing: A Person-Centered Approach to Socio-Economic Transitions

Valery Chirkov, University of Saskatchewan, Canada

Nadezhda Lebedeva, State University - Higher School of Economics, Russia

One of the criteria for evaluating socio-economic changes should be a promotion of people‘s flourishing, their creativity, positive mental and physical health, happiness, and success. Human psychological autonomy is a fundamental basis of such flourishing. In order to be well and happy people have to be free psychologically and behaviourally. Culture of horizontality, which is comprised by values and practices of trust, respect, equality, tolerance and sharing, constitutes a fertile soil where human autonomy can grow and flourish. This culture is opposed by the culture of verticality. A cultivation of the culture of horizontality and exercising control over the culture of verticality is one of the directions of culture changes, which aims toward promoting people flourishing. The presenters compare Canada and Russia based on international indices and original empirical data that support a thesis about the role horizontality plays in promoting people‘s autonomy and well-being.

 

Enculturation, Acquisition of Autonomy and Acculturation: A Phenomenological Perspective on Analysis of Immigrants' Life-Worlds

Valery Chirkov, University of Saskachewan, Canada

This presentation provides a phenomenological analysis of the processes of enculturation of future immigrants, development of their autonomy, and their acculturation in a new society. Based on the works of Bergman and Luckman, Schutz, Giddens and Bourdieu, the following processes are outlined: primary and secondary socialization through cultural learning and internalization; evolvement of practical consciousness and habitus in socializing individuals; development of individuals' capacity for autonomy and agency; entering the intentional world of others; and re-socialization. The role that immigrants' self, and their identities play in enculturation and acculturation is discussed. Overall, acculturation is seen as an open-ended, multi-facet process, unfolding in never-ending interactions of agentic individuals with new and old cultural environments. This process of individuals navigating between their old and new cultural practices and meanings, with continuous reflections on them, constitutes the essence of acculturation. A preliminary data from phenomenological interviews complement the provided statements.

 

Social Capital and Models of Economic Behaviour: A Cross-Cultural Analysis

Alexander Tatarko, State University - Higher School of Economics, Russia

The research has been supported by Scientific Foundation of Higher School of Economics (project 11-04-0003 within the contest Teacher-Pupils, 2011-2012). The research aimed at identifying interconnections between psychological measurements of social capital and sets to various kinds of economic behaviour of representatives of different ethnic groups living in Russia. The access included Russians (N=334) and representatives of Caucasian and Transcaucasian nations (N= 235). The research hasn‘t detected any statistically significant difference in social capital indicators between the Russians and the representatives of Caucasian nations. In general, social capital is connected with sets to the so-called ‘productive‘ patterns of economic behaviour in both groups. Thus, we can conclude that the economic behaviour of people who contribute greatly to the society‘s social capital (via higher confidence, tolerance, etc), will be more useful for the society, too. This phenomenon has proved to be universal for representatives of both analyzed cultures.

 

The Economic Attitudes of Russians and Caucasians: Comparative Analysis

Lusine Grigoryan, State University - Higher School of Economics, Russia

The purpose of the given study is to reveal the differences in economic behavior between two ethnic groups: Russians (N=334) and Caucasians (N=235). To identify models of economic behavior we have developed a special methodology of economic behavior scenarios which allows identifying economic attitudes. The significant differences have been found out in 10 scenarios from 11. For Russians is more typical priority of creative work over money, just distribution of remuneration; their willingness to waste are less than Caucasians. But in the same time Russians are ready to break the law to get higher profit and short-term economic perspectives are more typical for them. For Caucasians are more typical economic activity, interest and independence; they value time more than money. So, the economic attitudes of these two ethnic groups are considerably different. *The research has been supported by Scientific Foundation of HSE (project 11-04-0003 within the contest Teacher-Pupils, 2011-2012).

 

Interconnection between Values and Monetary Behavior in Russians and Caucasians

Sofya Isaakyan, State University - Higher School of Economics, Russia

Natalya Amerkhanova, State University - Higher School of Economics, Russia

In the present paper, we would like to consider the link between monetary behavior and values in two different ethnic groups: Russians and Caucasians. Values, as one of the most significant features, determine a person‘s behavior and interaction with social environment. Thus, it is preferable to focus on differences in values for these two ethnic groups and to reveal how these differences influence their monetary behavior. In this study, we used Schwartz‘s theory according to which our values are divided into two groups: individual and cultural. The research method was a socio-psychological survey. Based on the data analysis, factors determining monetary behavior of Russians and Caucasians were outlined. Further connections between these factors and individual and cultural values in two ethnic groups were revealed. This study brought us to the conclusion that connections have significant differences in these ethnic groups.

 

Relationships Between Cultural Values of Russians and the Models of Socio-Economic Behavior

Olga Pavlenko, State University - Higher School of Economics, Russia

This research touches upon questions concerning relationships between culture and human behavior. The general purpose of the study is to reveal interconnection between values and the models of different types of social behavior. The new socio-psychological method utilized ― Scenarios of social and economic behavior ― is applied in a combination with Schwartz method of values and is tested on Russian sample. Multiple linear regression analysis of the data reveals numerous links between values of cultural and individual level and situations of socio-economic behavior. The results are expected to provide greater depth of knowledge about the impact of cultural values on human behavior and the specificity of Russian culture.

 

 

Abstracts: XII European Congress of Psychology, Istanbul, Turkey, 4-8 July

Cross-confessional comparison of values (Russian Christians and Muslims)*

Lusine Grigoryan, State University - Higher School of Economics, Russia

*The research supported by “Scientific Foundation of Higher School of Economics” (project №11-04-0003 within the contest “Teacher-Students” 2011-2012)

The purpose of the given study is to reveal the differences in values (using Schwartz’s method) between Christians and Muslims of Russia. Our study is based on the Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Human Values, which “defines values as desirable, trans-situational goals, varying in importance that serves as guiding principles in people’s lives” [Schwartz, 2006, p.1]. Schwartz Value Survey was used for the individual and cultural level values exposure. Student’s t-test was used to reveal the differences between groups. Cross-confessional comparison showed the significant differences in values on the both levels between Russian Christians and Muslims. Among Muslims such cultural level values as Harmony, Conservatism, Mastery, Intellectual autonomy and Egalitarianism are stronger, than among Christians. Comparison of individual level values showed that Muslims are inclined to such value types as “Conservation” and “Self- transcendence”, while Christians – to “Openness to change” and “Self- enhancement”.

 

Values and personality characteristics as predictors of ethnic intolerance

Lusine Grigoryan, State University - Higher School of Economics, Russia

*The research has been supported by “Scientific Foundation of Higher School of Economics” (project №11-04-0003 within the contest “Teacher-Pupils” 2011-2012)

The given work is devoted to the study of ethnic intolerance predictors. The study has to answer the main question – how personality traits and values connect with ethnic intolerance. Survey method is used in our research. The questionnaire includes Schwartz Value Survey, Berry’s scale for ethnic intolerance index exposure and Cattell’s 16 PF for initial personality characteristics exposure. Correlation, regression and dispersion analysis have been used for data processing. As a result we obtain a model of ethnic intolerance predictors, which includes such personality characteristics as Low Super Ego Strength and Conservatism, and values of “Self-transcendence” (Benevolence and Universalism).  The dispersion model of ethnic intolerance by personality characteristics is not significant, but by values it describes 22% of ethnic intolerance index dispersion. The model includes such values as Benevolence, Universalism, Tradition, Hedonism and Power. So, values as a social construct determine the intolerance attitude more than personality characteristics.