Cited by 90Cultural Differences and ValuesPersonality Traits and PsychologyEmotions and Moral Behavior

Is self‐esteem a universal need? Evidence from The People's Republic of China

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Cai, Huajian, Wu, Qiuping, Brown, Jonathon D.·2009·Asian Journal Of Social Psychology

Abstract

In a provocative article, Heine et al. concluded that self‐esteem needs are less important in collectivistic, East Asian countries than in individualistic, Western ones. Their conclusion was based, in part, on evidence that: (i) self‐esteem scores are less positively biased in Japan than in Western countries; and that (ii) low self‐esteem is less predictive of psychological distress in Japan than in Western countries. The present research examined whether these cultural differences occur in another collectivistic culture: The People's Republic of China. Two meta‐analyses were conducted. Study 1 found that, for young and old alike, self‐esteem was positively biased, with most participants reporting high levels of self‐esteem. Study 2 found that low self‐esteem in China is associated with three indicators of psychological distress: depression, anxiety and low subjective well‐being. These findings are consistent with results in Western samples and suggest that high self‐esteem may indeed be a universal psychological imperative.

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  • The positive association of personal self-esteem with subjective well-being is in line with previous findings showing that people high in self-esteem tend to report stronger life satisfaction, positive affect, meaning in life, and subjective vitality.

    “The positive association of PSE with subjective well-being is in line with previous findings [9, 13–15, 54] showing that people high in self-esteem tend to report stronger life satisfaction, positive affect, meaning in life, and subjective vitality.”

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Cai, H., Wu, Q., & Brown, J. D.
Affiliations
  • Sun Yat-sen University (CN)
  • University of Washington (US)
Corresponding author
Cai, Huajian
Venue
Asian Journal Of Social Psychology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2009-05-13
Volume
12
Issue
2
Pages
104-120
ISSN
  • 1367-2223 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-839X
OpenAlex
W2062301996
Cited by
90
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 6
FWCI
10.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
Asian Journal Of Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Cultural Differences and Values
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
Keywords
self-esteem, cross-cultural comparison, collectivism, individualism, East Asian culture, China, psychological distress, depression, anxiety, subjective well-being

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