Do Iranian and Canadian Females Make Different Personal Decisions?

Mahin Tavakoli

.

DOI: 10.4236/sm.2012.21016                

Abstract

This study examined cultural differences and similarities in the number and types of personal decisions made by Iranian and Canadian females. Canadians made more decisions than did Iranians, indicating that Canadians are more autonomous and independent than are Iranians. The types of decisions made more by Canadians than by Iranians illustrate that, when making decisions, Canadians use primary control (trying to change their situation) more than Iranians do, while Iranians use secondary control (trying to adjust to the situation) more than Canadians do. The results support theories of cultural differences locating Canada and Iran at opposite ends of individualism-collectivism continuum, and are consistent with the individualistic-collectivist distinctions made by Heine (2008), Savani, Markus, and Conner (2008), and Triandis (2004).

Keywords

Decision-Making; Making Choice; Iranians and Canadians; Individualism-Collectivism; Comparative Study; Cross-Cultural Study of Making Choice; Cultural Differences in Decision-Making

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Anthony, C. (1999). Getting married after 40: Advice & inspiration from 100 women who found good men & happy marriages. New York: Adams Media Corporation.
[2]	Azadarmaki, T., & Bahar, M. (2006). Families in Iran: Changes, challenges and future. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 37, 589-608.
[3]	Bond, R., & Smith, P. B. (1996). Culture and conformity: A meta-analysis of studies using Asch’s (1952b, 1956) line judgment task. Psychological Bulletin, 119, 111-137. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.119.1.111
[4]	Buchan, N., Grimalda, G., Brewer, M., & Foddy, M. (2007). The impact of globalization on trust and cooperation. unpublished preliminary report to the National Science Foundation.
[5]	Budescu, D. V., Rantilla, A. K., Yu, H.-T., & Karelitz, T. M. (2003). The effects of asymmetry among advisors on the aggregation of their opinions. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 90, 178-194. doi:10.1016/S0749-5978(02)00516-2
[6]	Chao, R. (1995). Chinese and European American cultural models of the self reflected in mothers’ childrearing beliefs. Ethos, 23, 328-354. doi:10.1525/eth.1995.23.3.02a00030
[7]	Chen, H., & Lan, W. (1998). Adolescents’ perceptions of their parents’ academic expectations: Comparison of American, Chinese-American, and Chinese high-school students. Adolescence, 33, 385-390.
[8]	Choi, E. C. (1995). A contrast of mothering behaviours in women from Korea and the United States. Journal of Obstetric, Gynaecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 24, 363-369. doi:10.1111/j.1552-6909.1995.tb02488.x
[9]	Dehghani, M., Iliev, R., Sachdeva, S., Atran, S., Ginges, J., & Medin, D. (2009). Emerging sacred values: Iran’s nuclear program. Judgment and Decision Making, 4, 530-533.
[10]	Ekhtiari, H., Jannati, A., Dehghani, M., & Mokri, A. (2009). Prefer a cash slap in your face over credit for halva. Judgment and Decision Making, 4, 534-542.
[11]	Fischhoff, B. (1992). Giving advice: Decision theory perspectives on sexual assault. American Psychologist, 47, 577-588. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.47.4.577
[12]	Hatami, J. (2007). Creating new television audiences with new personalities in the age of globalization. Paper Presented at the AUSACE 12th Annual Convention on Communication: Cross-Road of Globalization. Dubai: United Arab Emirates.
[13]	Heine, S. J. (2008). Cultural psychology. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
[14]	Higgins, M. C. (2001). Changing careers: The effects of social context. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 22, 595-618. doi:10.1002/job.104
[15]	Hofstede, G. (1999). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. London: McGraw-Hill.
[16]	Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
[17]	Hynie, M. (2009). From Conflict to Compromise: Immigrant Families and the Process of Acculturation. URL (last checked 9 November 2009) http://canada.metropolis.net/research-policy/litreviews/tylr_rev/tylr_rev-08.html
[18]	Iyengar, S. S., & Lepper, M. R. (1999). Rethinking the value of choice: A cultural perspective on intrinsic motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 349-366. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.76.3.349
[19]	Khodayarifard, M., Rehm, L. P., & Khodayarifard, S. (2007). Psychotherapy in Iran: A case study of cognitive-behavioural family therapy for Mrs A. A. Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session, 63, 745- 753.
[20]	Luey, B. (2004). Revising your dissertation: Advice from leading editors. Berkeley: University of California Press.
[21]	Mortazavi, S. (2006). The Iranian family in a context of cultural diversity. In J. Georgas, J. W. Berry, F. J. R. van de Vijver, C. Kagitcibasi, & Y. H. Poortinga (Eds.), Families across cultures: A 30-nation psychological study (pp. 378-385). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511489822.026
[22]	Nathan, R., & Hill, L. (1992). Career counselling. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
[23]	Neter, J., Kutner, M. H., Nachtsheim, C. J., & Wasserman, W. (1995). Applied linear statistical models (4th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
[24]	Rothbaum, R., Weisz, J. R., & Snyder, S. S. (1982). Changing the world and changing the self: A two-process model of perceived control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 5-37. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.42.1.5
[25]	Savani, K., Markus, H. R., & Conner, A. L. (2008). Let your preference be your guide? Preferences and choices are more tightly linked for North Americans than for Indians. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 861-876. doi:10.1037/a0011618
[26]	Schwartz, S. (1994). Beyond individualism-collectivism: New cultural dimensions of values. In U. Kim, H. C. Triandis, C. Kagitcibasi, S.-C. Choi, & G. Yoon (Eds.), Individualism and collectivism: Theory, method, and application (pp. 81-119). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
[27]	Shamsaie, R. K. (2001). Elementary classroom placement of multiples. Dissertation, Terre Haute: Indiana State University.
[28]	Towner, R. J. (1975). Sources of academic advice utilized by successful students when making important academic decisions. Doctoral Dissertation, Cincinnati: University of Cincinnati.
[29]	Triandis, H. C. (2004). Dimensions of culture beyond Hofestede. In H. Vinken, J. Soeters, & P. Ester (Eds.), Comparing cultures: Dimensions of culture in a comparative Perspective (pp. 28-42). Lieden, Boston: Brill.
[30]	Triandis, H. C. (1994). Culture and social behavior. New York: McGraw-Hill.
[31]	Tsang, W. Y. (1998). The function of maternal utterances to young Hong Kong children. Unpublished Honours Thesis, Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong.
[32]	Vinken, H., Soeters, J., & Ester, P. (2004).Cultures and dimensions: Classic perspectives and new opportunities in “dimentsionalist” cross-cultural studies. In H. Vinken, J. Soeters, & P. Ester (Eds.), Comparing cultures: Dimensions of culture in a comparative perspective (pp. 5-27). Leieden, Boston: Brill.
[33]	Weisz, J. R., Rothbaum, F. M., & Blackburn, T. C. (1984). Standing out and standing in: The psychology of control in America and Japan. American Psychologist, 39, 974-975. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.39.9.974
[34]	Yeganeh, H. & Su, Z. (2007). Comprehending core cultural orientations of Iranian managers. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 14, 336-353. doi:10.1108/13527600710830359