16-item version:
Triandis, H.C., & Gelfand, M.J. (1998). Converging measurement of horizontal and vertical individualism and
collectivism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74 , 118/C0128.
Results and Comments
Unlike Hofstede (1980) , the HVIC Scale treats individualism and collectivism as separate constructs rather
than opposite poles of a continuum. Evidence from confirmatory factor analysis supports the independence of
individualism and collectivism. Another distinctive feature of this measure is the further differentiation of indi-
vidualism and collectivism into the horizontal and vertical subtypes. This differentiation has inspired research
that examines different conceptions of interpersonal power in individualist and collectivist societies ( Torelli &
Shavitt, 2010 ).
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL INDIVIDUALISM AND
COLLECTIVISM (16 ITEMS)
Instructions
This questionnaire is anonymous, and there are no right or wrong answers.
We want to know if you strongly agree or disagree with some statements. If you strongly agree, enter a 9 in the
blank space; if you strongly disagree, enter a 1 in that space; if you are unsure, enter a 5 next to the statement.
If you think the question does not apply to you, use a 5 and draw a circle around the 5. In short, use this key:
1 234567 89
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
HI 1. I’d rather depend on myself than others
2. I rely on myself most of the time; I rarely rely on others
3. I often do ‘my own thing’
4. My personal identity, independent of others, is very important to me
VI 5. It is important that I do my job better than others
6. Winning is everything
7. Competition is the law of nature
8. When another person does better than I do, I get tense and aroused
HC 9. If a co-worker gets a prize, I would feel proud
10. The well-being of my co-workers is important to me
11. To me, pleasure is spending time with others
12. I feel good when I cooperate with others
VC 13. Parents and children must stay together as much as possible
14. It is my duty to take care of my family, even when I have to sacrifice what I want
15. Family members should stick together, no matter what sacrifices are required
16. It is important to me that I respect the decisions made by my groups
Note: Reproduced with permission.
Culture Orientation Scale (COS)
(Bierbrauer et al. , 1994 ).
Variable
Bierbrauer et al. (1994) viewed individualism and collectivism as opposite poles of a continuum and con-
structed the COS to measure the extent to which people of a society endorse collectivism vs. individualism.639 OVERVIEW OF THE MEASURES
VI. SOCIOCULTURAL INTERACTION AND CONFLICT