Sex Differences in Self-Construal and in Depressive Symptoms: Predictors of Cross-National Variation

Peter B. SMITH; Matthew J. EASTERBROOK; Heyla AL-SELIM; Vivian Miu Chi LUN; Yasin KOC; Pelin GUL; Dona PAPASTYLIANOU; Lusine GRIGORYAN; Claudio TORRES; Maria EFREMOVA; Bushra HASSAN; Abd Halim AHMAD; Ahmed AL-BAYATI; Joel ANDERSON; Susan E. CROSS; Gisela Isabel DELFINO; Vladimer GAMSAKHURDIA; Alin GAVRELIUC; Dana GAVRELIUC; Ceren GUNSOY; Anna HAKOBJANYAN; Siugmin LAY; Olga LOPUKHOVA; Ping HU; Diane SUNAR; Maria Luisa Mendes TEXEIRA; Doriana TRIPODI; Paola Eunice DIAZ RIVERA; Yvette VAN OSCH; Masaki YUKI; Ammar ABBAS; Natsuki OGUSU; Catherine T. KWANTES; Rolando DIAZ-LOVING; Lorena PEREZ-FLORIANO; Trawin CHALEERAKTRAKOON; Phatthanakit CHOBTHAMKIT

doi:10.1177/0022022120939655

Sex Differences in Self-Construal and in Depressive Symptoms: Predictors of Cross-National Variation

Peter B. SMITH^*, Matthew J. EASTERBROOK, Heyla AL-SELIM, Vivian Miu Chi LUN, Yasin KOC, Pelin GUL, Dona PAPASTYLIANOU, Lusine GRIGORYAN, Claudio TORRES, Maria EFREMOVA, Bushra HASSAN, Abd Halim AHMAD, Ahmed AL-BAYATI, Joel ANDERSON, Susan E. CROSS, Gisela Isabel DELFINO, Vladimer GAMSAKHURDIA, Alin GAVRELIUC, Dana GAVRELIUC, Ceren GUNSOYAnna HAKOBJANYAN, Siugmin LAY, Olga LOPUKHOVA, Ping HU, Diane SUNAR, Maria Luisa Mendes TEXEIRA, Doriana TRIPODI, Paola Eunice DIAZ RIVERA, Yvette VAN OSCH, Masaki YUKI, Ammar ABBAS, Natsuki OGUSU, Catherine T. KWANTES, Rolando DIAZ-LOVING, Lorena PEREZ-FLORIANO, Trawin CHALEERAKTRAKOON, Phatthanakit CHOBTHAMKIT

^*Corresponding author for this work

Lingnan University

Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed) › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Sex differences in aspects of independent versus interdependent self-construal and depressive symptoms were surveyed among 5,320 students from 24 nations. Men were found to perceive themselves as more self-contained whereas women perceived themselves as more connected to others. No significant sex differences were found on two further dimensions of self-construal, or on a measure of depressive symptoms. Multilevel modeling was used to test the ability of a series of predictors derived from a social identity perspective and from evolutionary theory to moderate sex differences. Contrary to most prior studies of personality, sex differences in self-construal were larger in samples from nations scoring lower on the Gender Gap Index, and the Human Development Index. Sex differences were also greater in nations with higher pathogen prevalence, higher self-reported religiosity, and in nations with high reported avoidance of settings with strong norms. The findings are discussed in terms of the interrelatedness of self-construals and the cultural contexts in which they are elicited and the distinctiveness of student samples.

Original language	English
Article number	002202212093965
Pages (from-to)	616-635
Number of pages	20
Journal	Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology
Volume	51
Issue number	7-8
Early online date	5 Jul 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022120939655
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2020

Bibliographical note

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The work of Maria Efremova was supported by the framework of the HSE Basic Research Program. Aside from this, the authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Keywords

self-construal
gender differences
gender equality
religiosity
independence versus interdependence

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1177/0022022120939655Licence: CC BY

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SMITH, P. B., EASTERBROOK, M. J., AL-SELIM, H., LUN, V. M. C., KOC, Y., GUL, P., PAPASTYLIANOU, D., GRIGORYAN, L., TORRES, C., EFREMOVA, M., HASSAN, B., AHMAD, A. H., AL-BAYATI, A., ANDERSON, J., CROSS, S. E., DELFINO, G. I., GAMSAKHURDIA, V., GAVRELIUC, A., GAVRELIUC, D., ... CHOBTHAMKIT, P. (2020). Sex Differences in Self-Construal and in Depressive Symptoms: Predictors of Cross-National Variation. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 51(7-8), 616-635. Article 002202212093965. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022120939655

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title = "Sex Differences in Self-Construal and in Depressive Symptoms: Predictors of Cross-National Variation",

abstract = "Sex differences in aspects of independent versus interdependent self-construal and depressive symptoms were surveyed among 5,320 students from 24 nations. Men were found to perceive themselves as more self-contained whereas women perceived themselves as more connected to others. No significant sex differences were found on two further dimensions of self-construal, or on a measure of depressive symptoms. Multilevel modeling was used to test the ability of a series of predictors derived from a social identity perspective and from evolutionary theory to moderate sex differences. Contrary to most prior studies of personality, sex differences in self-construal were larger in samples from nations scoring lower on the Gender Gap Index, and the Human Development Index. Sex differences were also greater in nations with higher pathogen prevalence, higher self-reported religiosity, and in nations with high reported avoidance of settings with strong norms. The findings are discussed in terms of the interrelatedness of self-construals and the cultural contexts in which they are elicited and the distinctiveness of student samples.",

keywords = "self-construal, gender differences, gender equality, religiosity, independence versus interdependence",

author = "SMITH, {Peter B.} and EASTERBROOK, {Matthew J.} and Heyla AL-SELIM and LUN, {Vivian Miu Chi} and Yasin KOC and Pelin GUL and Dona PAPASTYLIANOU and Lusine GRIGORYAN and Claudio TORRES and Maria EFREMOVA and Bushra HASSAN and AHMAD, {Abd Halim} and Ahmed AL-BAYATI and Joel ANDERSON and CROSS, {Susan E.} and DELFINO, {Gisela Isabel} and Vladimer GAMSAKHURDIA and Alin GAVRELIUC and Dana GAVRELIUC and Ceren GUNSOY and Anna HAKOBJANYAN and Siugmin LAY and Olga LOPUKHOVA and Ping HU and Diane SUNAR and TEXEIRA, {Maria Luisa Mendes} and Doriana TRIPODI and {DIAZ RIVERA}, {Paola Eunice} and {VAN OSCH}, Yvette and Masaki YUKI and Ammar ABBAS and Natsuki OGUSU and KWANTES, {Catherine T.} and Rolando DIAZ-LOVING and Lorena PEREZ-FLORIANO and Trawin CHALEERAKTRAKOON and Phatthanakit CHOBTHAMKIT",

note = "The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The work of Maria Efremova was supported by the framework of the HSE Basic Research Program. Aside from this, the authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.",

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month = sep,

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doi = "10.1177/0022022120939655",

language = "English",

volume = "51",

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journal = "Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology",

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SMITH, PB, EASTERBROOK, MJ, AL-SELIM, H, LUN, VMC, KOC, Y, GUL, P, PAPASTYLIANOU, D, GRIGORYAN, L, TORRES, C, EFREMOVA, M, HASSAN, B, AHMAD, AH, AL-BAYATI, A, ANDERSON, J, CROSS, SE, DELFINO, GI, GAMSAKHURDIA, V, GAVRELIUC, A, GAVRELIUC, D, GUNSOY, C, HAKOBJANYAN, A, LAY, S, LOPUKHOVA, O, HU, P, SUNAR, D, TEXEIRA, MLM, TRIPODI, D, DIAZ RIVERA, PE, VAN OSCH, Y, YUKI, M, ABBAS, A, OGUSU, N, KWANTES, CT, DIAZ-LOVING, R, PEREZ-FLORIANO, L, CHALEERAKTRAKOON, T & CHOBTHAMKIT, P 2020, 'Sex Differences in Self-Construal and in Depressive Symptoms: Predictors of Cross-National Variation', Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, vol. 51, no. 7-8, 002202212093965, pp. 616-635. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022120939655

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sex Differences in Self-Construal and in Depressive Symptoms: Predictors of Cross-National Variation

AU - SMITH, Peter B.

AU - EASTERBROOK, Matthew J.

AU - AL-SELIM, Heyla

AU - LUN, Vivian Miu Chi

AU - KOC, Yasin

AU - GUL, Pelin

AU - PAPASTYLIANOU, Dona

AU - GRIGORYAN, Lusine

AU - TORRES, Claudio

AU - EFREMOVA, Maria

AU - HASSAN, Bushra

AU - AHMAD, Abd Halim

AU - AL-BAYATI, Ahmed

AU - ANDERSON, Joel

AU - CROSS, Susan E.

AU - DELFINO, Gisela Isabel

AU - GAMSAKHURDIA, Vladimer

AU - GAVRELIUC, Alin

AU - GAVRELIUC, Dana

AU - GUNSOY, Ceren

AU - HAKOBJANYAN, Anna

AU - LAY, Siugmin

AU - LOPUKHOVA, Olga

AU - HU, Ping

AU - SUNAR, Diane

AU - TEXEIRA, Maria Luisa Mendes

AU - TRIPODI, Doriana

AU - DIAZ RIVERA, Paola Eunice

AU - VAN OSCH, Yvette

AU - YUKI, Masaki

AU - ABBAS, Ammar

AU - OGUSU, Natsuki

AU - KWANTES, Catherine T.

AU - DIAZ-LOVING, Rolando

AU - PEREZ-FLORIANO, Lorena

AU - CHALEERAKTRAKOON, Trawin

AU - CHOBTHAMKIT, Phatthanakit

N1 - The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The work of Maria Efremova was supported by the framework of the HSE Basic Research Program. Aside from this, the authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

PY - 2020/9/1

Y1 - 2020/9/1

N2 - Sex differences in aspects of independent versus interdependent self-construal and depressive symptoms were surveyed among 5,320 students from 24 nations. Men were found to perceive themselves as more self-contained whereas women perceived themselves as more connected to others. No significant sex differences were found on two further dimensions of self-construal, or on a measure of depressive symptoms. Multilevel modeling was used to test the ability of a series of predictors derived from a social identity perspective and from evolutionary theory to moderate sex differences. Contrary to most prior studies of personality, sex differences in self-construal were larger in samples from nations scoring lower on the Gender Gap Index, and the Human Development Index. Sex differences were also greater in nations with higher pathogen prevalence, higher self-reported religiosity, and in nations with high reported avoidance of settings with strong norms. The findings are discussed in terms of the interrelatedness of self-construals and the cultural contexts in which they are elicited and the distinctiveness of student samples.

AB - Sex differences in aspects of independent versus interdependent self-construal and depressive symptoms were surveyed among 5,320 students from 24 nations. Men were found to perceive themselves as more self-contained whereas women perceived themselves as more connected to others. No significant sex differences were found on two further dimensions of self-construal, or on a measure of depressive symptoms. Multilevel modeling was used to test the ability of a series of predictors derived from a social identity perspective and from evolutionary theory to moderate sex differences. Contrary to most prior studies of personality, sex differences in self-construal were larger in samples from nations scoring lower on the Gender Gap Index, and the Human Development Index. Sex differences were also greater in nations with higher pathogen prevalence, higher self-reported religiosity, and in nations with high reported avoidance of settings with strong norms. The findings are discussed in terms of the interrelatedness of self-construals and the cultural contexts in which they are elicited and the distinctiveness of student samples.

KW - self-construal

KW - gender differences

KW - gender equality

KW - religiosity

KW - independence versus interdependence

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U2 - 10.1177/0022022120939655

DO - 10.1177/0022022120939655

M3 - Journal Article (refereed)

SN - 0022-0221

VL - 51

SP - 616

EP - 635

JO - Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

JF - Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

IS - 7-8

M1 - 002202212093965

ER -

Sex Differences in Self-Construal and in Depressive Symptoms: Predictors of Cross-National Variation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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