So close, and yet so far: does collectivism foster transparency overestimation?

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Interpersonal Perception

Background:

• Horizontal collectivism (HC) emphasizes social bonds and interdependence.
• Understanding the link between cultural values and interpersonal perception is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between horizontal collectivism (HC) and the overestimation of transparency to close others.
• To explore the mediating role of self-other merging, perceived similarity, behavioral closeness, and metaperception positivity.
• To establish a causal link between interdependence and transparency overestimation.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional surveys assessing HC and transparency overestimation.
• Mediation analyses to examine self-other merging, perceived similarity, behavioral closeness, and metaperception positivity.
• Experimental manipulation of interdependence priming.

Main Results:

• Horizontal collectivism (HC) was positively associated with overestimating transparency to close others.
• Self-other merging significantly mediated the relationship between HC and transparency overestimation.
• Interdependence priming causally increased transparency overestimation.
• Higher HC correlated with increased confidence, but not accuracy, in judgments about friends.

Conclusions:

• Horizontal collectivism (HC) contributes to a belief that one's internal states are more visible to close others than they actually are.
• Self-other merging appears to be a key mechanism driving this transparency overestimation.
• Findings suggest that HC may lead to deficits in perspective-taking due to an over-reliance on the self when judging others.