Construct-superiority, Domain-superiority, and Culture-relevance of Dual Autonomies on Personal Adaptations: A Cross-cultural Comparison

This study aims to compare the influent effects between dual self-construal (independent and interdependent self-construal) and dual autonomies (individuating and relating autonomy) on personal adaptation in Taiwanese and American samples. Data were collected from 359 Taiwanese and 308 European American college students. Using multi-group structural equation modeling, the study analyzed a model that investigated the effects of dual self-construal and dual autonomy on adaptation. Results showed: dual self-construct did not have any significant effects on four adaptive variables (intrapersonal domain named as self-esteem and internalizing problem behavior; interpersonal domain named as reciprocal filial belief and aggression), but individuating autonomy had positive effect on self-esteem and negative effect on internalized problem behavior, and relating autonomy had positive effect on reciprocal filial belief and negative effect on aggression across both college students; in addition, relating autonomy also had positive effect on self-esteem only in Taiwanese students. When comparing effect sizes found that dual autonomy showed more construct-superior than dual self-construal on personal adaptations, and individuating autonomy showed more domain-superior than relating autonomy on intrapersonal adaptations and relating autonomy showed more domain-superior than individual autonomy on interpersonal adaptations. In addition, American colleges showed more culture-relevant than Taiwanese colleges on the relationship of individuating autonomy on self-esteem, while Taiwanese colleges showed more culture-relevant effect than American colleges on the relationship of relating autonomy on aggression.