Comparing self-esteem discrepancies in Pakistan and Canada

Abstract

The cross-cultural universality of people's pursuit of positive self-esteem is frequently disputed. Most research in this area has contrasted cultures of dignity (Western) and face cultures (East Asian), but less attention has been given to other cultures' views of self-esteem. In the present work, we examined Pakistan as uniquely influenced by honour culture and South Asian argumentation culture principles, and we contrasted it with Canada (a Western culture of dignity). Across two studies, Pakistanis had less positive self-esteem discrepancies (i.e., Pakistanis had minimal or no desire for higher self-esteem) compared to Canadians (who desired much higher self-esteem than they actually had). Pakistanis also believed less in the agentic benefits of high self-esteem but more in the communal benefits of high self-esteem than did Canadians. Differences in each cultures' beliefs about self-esteem's causal powers partially accounted for the differences in self-esteem discrepancies. These findings suggest unique conceptualizations of the value of self-esteem in distinct cultures.