Article Reflection: Reyes, Melissa Lopez, 2018 (Social Mobility Attributions in East Asian and Pacific Cultures: Power Distance and Individualism as Moderators of Self-Attribution Bias)

Overview: How people give themselves credit or blame depends on self-esteem, socioeconomic status, and culture. In East Asian countries, factors like history, social norms, and collectivist values shape these patterns; however, self-attribution bias does not occur as frequently as it does in Western cultures.

This paper explores social attribution theory in East Asian cultures, including China, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Taiwan. While reviewing a few studies, a common theme emerged: self-attribution bias is closely linked to self-esteem. The paper also emphasizes the influence of socioeconomic status on attribution patterns, particularly in how individuals perceive their entitlement to positive outcomes. Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to believe they do not deserve positive outcomes, whereas wealthier individuals tend to feel more entitled. This context is important because, although self-attribution theory suggests people grant themselves more leniency, the extent of this bias varies across social and economic groups. In the context of our discussion posts, responses might differ significantly if there were disparities in the socioeconomic status of those involved.

Why do cultural contexts matter? In the countries mentioned above, colonial histories, religion, cultural beliefs, and collectivist values all shape how individuals interpret success, failure, and personal responsibility, which in turn influences the attributions they place on themselves and others. These factors are difficult to separate, and although these countries are geographically close, their cultural practices vary widely. Notably, self-attribution bias does not occur with the same frequency in Eastern cultures as it does in Western cultures, largely due to differences between collectivist and individualistic value systems. Because self-attribution theory often supports self-promotion, it may conflict with cultures that prioritize group harmony over individual achievement. The study did a comparison with Australia and New Zealand, which aligned with what we covered in our reading.

I like to explore research related to Eastern cultures, especially the Philippines, due to its personal relevance to me and because much of the content I was exposed to growing up centered on Western culture. What would be interesting to add to this study is how much more westernized the Philippines is becoming, especially in terms of media consumption, jobs, and social norms, and how this shift may influence an individual’s attributions.

Reyes, M. (2018). Social mobility attributions in East Asian and Pacific cultures: Power distance and individualism as moderators of self-attribution bias. Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, 12, e3. https://doi.org/10.1017/prp.2017.17