CULTURED MINDS

TIME & REGULATORY FOCUS

 

There is an apparent contradiction between the temporal perspectives and regulatory focus generally assigned to cultures: Collectivist cultures are thought to be long-term oriented and prevention focused, whereas individualist cultures are more short-term oriented and promotion-focused. (Hofstede & Bond, 1988). 

 

However, a prevention orientation is linked to a near future perspective, and a promotion orientation is associated with a distant future perspective (Pennington & Roese, 2003). How can collectivists be both near future focused and long-term oriented at the same time (and vice versa for individualists)?

 

A possible answer is that people with an interdependent self-construal pay attention to the immediate environment and near future (prevention orientation) as a means to ensure long term prosperity (long term orientation).

 

(Lee & Semin, 2008)