Self-construal research

UNIVERSITY OF INDONESIA
FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SCIENCE
COMMUNICATION SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
GRADUATE PROGRAM

PRIZA AUDERMANDO PURBA
6903120822
CORRELATION PATTERNS OF INDIVIDUAL’S CULTURAL VARIABILITY, INDIVIDUAL SOCIALIZATION, CULTURAL IDENTITY, GENERATIONAL CHANGE PERCEIVED WITH INDIVIDUAL SELF-CONSTRUAL (CASE ON COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM COHORT HUMAN CAPITAL GENERATION)
127 pages, 28 books, 38 journals, 5 newspaper’s articles

ABSTRACT
Western biases, over generalization or dichotomized conception still exists in various communication products. Especially if refers to cross-cultural communication. We can get it in advertising creativities, politician statements and unfortunately, also comes from analysis of communication scholars. In the other words, it reflects the efforts for throwing out individual variations within culture. Meanwhile, there is a seggregation cultural tendencies in dominant culture, mainly for students. In Indonesian context, we can see it in cohort of human capital generation.

One of individual variation is self-construal, which had been interesting subject for international social-psychology and communication scholars since 1991. This concept had been widely applied to communication practises. The most famous of self-construal theory came from Gudykunst et al. They contended that there are several concepts correlates (direct and indirect) to self- construal. This study try to replicate it with individual from cohort human capital generation as reserach subject.

Using survey method, questionnaires data collection and path analysis method, the study isolated three important results. Firstly, direct effect scores of cultural variability with self-construal greater than its indirect effect. Direct effect scores of generational change perceived with self-construal greater than its indirect effect.

Cultural identity has insignificance correlation to self-construal. Meanwhile, individual socialization just has a direct correlation with self-construal. Secondly, scores of total direct effects greater than total indirect effects. Thirdly, causes of all the insignificance correlations to self-construal that was contributed by cultural identities, so path model has to be adjusted by fit model test. Fit coefficient indicated that fit model was better model than path model

This study also isolated three decisions. Firstly, this study resulted a different conceptualization, operationalization, measurement with Gudykunst’s concept. Secondly, study has integrated Gudykunt’s self-construal theory in to a path model and using path analysis method. Thirdly, this study resulted a better model than Gudykunst’s self-construal theoritical framework. This three decisions implies to explication of Gudykunst’s self-construal concept, replication of Gudykunst’s self-construal theories, and modification of Gudykunst’s self-construal theoritical framework.

This study also suggests two recommendation for next research. Firstly, for increasing external validity degrees, subsequent researcher ought to take a careful examination of theoritical requirements, such as context (structure-culture), limitation of psychology and culture orientation of research subject, number and degree of groups that is important to subjects and practises needs. Secondly, for communication practitioners (marketing, organization and politics) to redefine, and focuses their segmentation concept base on self-construal concept.