Individualism and Collectivism

00:06 One of the first sets of cultural values I want to talk about is individualism and collectivism.

00:11 And this will be a prime example of how things are contextual.

00:14 First, I'll start talking about how it happens in terms of organizations, especially in academia.

00:20 It's a tall order to work in academia, and when you want to get promoted.

00:25 We have to come up with this dossier.

00:27 And it's a lot of work.

00:30 So if I'm working on my dossier, I'm in an individualist capacity at that moment.

00:36 So it's focusing on my individual goal, which is promotion.

00:40 And at that moment, if someone asked me to help them write a manuscript or develop a test, review an exam for their course, I might say, "I can't right now.

00:49 But maybe in a couple of weeks, I'll be willing to do it because I need to focus on getting this dossier completed.

00:56 Otherwise, I'm in a collectivist. And I don't want to say society, but that's true.

01:01 In terms of how we look at individualism and collectivism, not just from a personal stance, but also in terms of different cultural clusters.

01:10 So in general, in general, the United States is an individualist society.

01:17 Whereas in general, Asia is a collectivist society.

01:21 So that's just one example.

01:23 But in terms of this work, we'll just stop with that and focus on how it helps us in terms of our transformative experience as individuals.

01:31 So when I talk about being a collectivist, again, if someone's drowning at work, in terms of patient care.

01:39 Lot going on and my patients are all settled and quiet.

01:43 In my collectivist mode, I'm going to go and help people accomplish some of the things they accomplish.

01:48 I'll think about years ago, if I finished before the other nurses on my shift at the end of the shift, then I would volunteer to go do all the Accu-Cheks on the unit so people can catch up.

01:58 But that's what collectivism is just basically focusing on teamwork.