Description
A high HC culture is one that values equality. In this culture, the individual sees the self as an aspect of an
ingroup. The self is merged with the members of the ingroup, and all ingroup members are perceived to be simi-
lar to each other. Thus, every individual, like other individuals, is an interdependent entity ( Singelis et al., 1995 ).
A high VC culture is one in which the individual sees the self as an aspect of an ingroup. However, inequality is
accepted in a high VC culture, with some members of the ingroup having higher status than others. The self is
regarded as an interdependent entity that is different from the self of others. Severing and sacrificing for the
ingroup is emphasized in this culture ( Singelis et al., 1995 ). A high HI culture is one that privileges the autono-
mous self. All members of the culture have more or less the same status. Every individual, like other individuals,
is an independent entity ( Singelis et al., 1995 ). A high VI culture is one that privileges the autonomous self and
accepts inequality. Inequality is expected and members of the culture are regarded an independent and distinc-
tive entities. Competition is an important aspect of high VI cultures ( Singelis et al., 1995 ).
The HVIC Scale was created from a pool of 94 items used in a measure that assesses allocentrism and idio-
centrism ( Triandis, Chan, Bhawuk, Iwao, & Sinha, 1995 ). Based on the results of a principal component analysis
(performed on the intercorrelations of 94 items and after eliminating items with lowest item-total correlations), 32
items were retained, with equal number of items (8) for each of the four dimensions ( Singelis et al., 1995;
Triandis, 1995 ). Later, Triandis and Gelfand (1998) shortened the scale to 27 items, and Soh and Leong (2002)
found evidence for the validity of a 16-item short-form. Individuals respond to each item on a 9-point Likert-type
scale (1 5strongly disagree; 9 5strongly agree).
Sample
For the 32-item scale, the validation sample ( Triandis, 1995; Singelis et al., 1995 ) consisted of undergraduate
students from the University of Illinois in Champaign ( N596) and the University of Hawaii at Manoa ( N5171).
For the 16-item scale ( Soh & Leong, 2002 ), the validation sample consisted of White American students (mostly
freshmen and sophomores) from a large Midwestern university ( N5180) and Chinese students from three junior
colleges in Singapore (equivalent of US high schools) ( N5184). The mean scores of the U.S. sample were 7.14
(SD51.15) for HC, 7.15 ( SD51.20) for VC, 6.91 ( SD51.25) for HI, and 5.46 ( SD51.64) for VI. The mean scores
of the Singapore sample were 7.04 ( SD51.18) for HC, 7.39 ( SD51.14) for VC, 6.39 ( SD51.30) for HI, and 5.44
(SD51.41) for VI ( Soh & Leong, 2002 ).
Reliability
Internal Consistency
For the 32-item scale, Cronbach alpha coefficients were .74 for HC, .68 for VC, .67 for HI, and .74 for VI
(Triandis, 1995; Singelis et al., 1995 ). For the 16-item scale, the alpha coefficients in the USA sample were .65 for
HC, .75 for VC, .71 for HI and .69 for VI, while the alpha coefficients in the Singaporean sample was .63 for HC,
.62 for VC, .69 for HI, and .69 for VI ( Soh & Leong, 2002 ).
Test/C0Retest
Test/C0retest reliability coefficients are not available for the HVIC Scale.
Validity
Convergent/Concurrent
For the 27-item scale, HI has a moderate positive correlation with VI ( r5.30) and HC has a positive correlation
with VC ( r5.50) ( Triandis & Gelfand, 1998 ). For the 16-item scale, in the USA sample of the Soh and Leong
(2002) study, HC had a moderate positive correlation with VC ( r5.50) and HI had a moderate and positive cor-
relation with VI ( r5.23). In the Singaporean sample of the Soh and Leong (2002) study, HC had a moderate posi-
tive correlation with VC ( r5.52) and HI had a moderate positive correlation with VI ( r5.34).
Evidence pertinent to the convergent validity of the 32-item HVIC Scale can be found in Triandis (1995) and
Singelis et al. (1995) . The HC dimension is positively correlated with Independent Self-Construal ( r5.43), and so
is the HI dimension ( r5.45). Contrary to expectation, VC is positively correlated with Independent Self-
Construal ( r5.50).
For the 16-item scale, extensive evidence pertinent to its convergent validity is reported in Soh and Leong
(2002) . In the USA sample, HC is positively correlated with SVS’s Benevolence ( r5.41) and Conformity ( r5.21),
Contrary to expectation, HC is also positively related to SVS’s Universalism ( r5.30), Achievement ( r5.21) and637 OVERVIEW OF THE MEASURES
VI. SOCIOCULTURAL INTERACTION AND CONFLICT