Allocentric and idiocentric personality orientations can be found in either collectivistic or individualistic cultures.
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Idiocentric people tend to emphasize independence and personal needs and goals over those of others.
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They found a mere ownership effect in idiocentric participants and a group ownership effect for allocentric participants.
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Cultural differences at the individual psychological level would improve if we designate persons with individualist characteristics as idiocentric.
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Idiocentric individuals find personal satisfaction in seeking their own interests above that of any group to which they may belong.
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At least two of the three reflective practitioners were clearly idiocentric, whereas all of the social syncretists seemed to fit the allocentric description.
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For at the heart of idiocentric theory is the psychological notion that the effect of a work of art upon each of us is intrinsically private.
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Triandis, H. C., & University Publications of America (Firm). (1983). Allocentric vs. idiocentric social behavior : A major cultural difference between Hispanics and the mainstream. [Urbana-Champaign, IL]: University of Illinois.
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In Kazdin A. E. (Ed.), Allocentrism- idiocentrism. Washington New York, DC NY, US US: American Psychological Association Oxford University Press. Triandis, H. C., Leung, K., Villareal, M. J., & Clack, F. I. (1985). Allocentric versus idiocentric tendencies: Convergent and discriminant validation.
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They prefer self-reliance, to make their own decisions without worrying about what others think, and enjoy competition.Triandis et al, 2002 It seems people can be both allocentric and idiocentric, but how much they are either is dependent on the situation and how the individual defines that situation. Certain situations encourage more allocentric behavior. These are found more in some cultures than others.
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Sinha & Verma, 1994 North Americans whose lifestyles are more allocentric tend to have higher subjective well-being than those whose life styles are idiocentric. In addition, allocentrics’ evaluation of their in- group in addition to how they perceive others view their group is positively related to higher subjective well-being.Bettencourt & Dorr, 1997 Allocentrism had a greater effect on the SWB of African Americans than on Euro-Americans. Furthermore, idiocentrism was more negatively related to SWB for Euro- Americans than it was for African Americans.
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Allocentrism is contrasted with idiocentrism, the psychological manifestation of individualism.Bettencourt & Dorr, 1997 As stated earlier, allocentrism includes holding values and preferences of placing higher importance on in-group needs and goals over one's own, defining oneself in terms of the in-group, and seeing oneself as an extension of the in-group. Idiocentrism, however, is an orientation whereby individuals hold quite different values and preferences from those with an allocentric orientation. Idiocentric people tend to focus more on their own goals and needs rather than in-group ones.
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