An interdependent self keeps members distinct while connected through stable relationships
Evidence
Although this idea is often misunderstood, maintaining an “interdependent” self is different not only from the self represented at the category level (Turner et al., 1987), but also from the self extended to include significant others (Aron, Aron, Tudor, & Nelson, 1991). People with an interdependent self believe that individuals are mutually distinct. They are, nonetheless, understood as connected with each other via stable and visible relationships (Hamaguchi, 1977; Ho & Chiu, 1994). It is known that East Asians are particularly concerned with maintaining intragroup cooperation and harmony, and try to inhibit potential conflict among the members (e.g., Ho & Chiu 1994; Kwan, Bond, & Singelis, 1997; Leung & Bond, 1984; Smith & Bond, 1998; Yamagishi, Jin, & Miller, 1998). This would not be necessary if their selves were merged with each other. — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 1616
Categorization
Category: Definitional Content
- DEFINE: Clarifies a frequently misread construct: interdependent self is neither category-level self nor extended self.
Related
- Interdependent selves require effortful harmony work precisely because members stay distinct (similarity 0.93)
- Asian selves are defined chiefly by their web of significant relationships (similarity 0.83)
- Group membership hinges on self-categorization, not interaction frequency or shared goals (similarity 0.82)
- The social self splits into individual, relational, and collective forms, not one continuum (similarity 0.80)
- People vary in how much they define themselves through others. (similarity 0.80)
- Knowing one belongs to a group differs from identifying with it (similarity 0.79)
- In-groups can cohere by homogeneity or by shared structure (similarity 0.79)
- In-groups acquire definition only through comparison and contrast with out-groups (similarity 0.78)
- Group behavior arises from depersonalized self-representation as interchangeable category exemplars (similarity 0.78)