Abstract:

Individualism, as an important cultural dimension, was defined as a focus on self-independence, personal goals and personal achievements. Three general approaches to measure individualism were self-report, priming cultural frame and tangible cultural products outside the head. Recently, Climato- Economic Theory and Pathogen susceptibility Theory that account for individualism were developed. There were between- and within-culture differences in individualism, which within-culture differences (states, provinces, prefectures within-country) were emphasized. Just as individualism differs across regions, individualism changed over time within-culture. Trends appeared more individualistic in the form of generational change on the basis of big data and objective indicators. Future research should integrate various approaches to measure individualism.

Key words: individualism, independence, collectivism, regional difference, cross-generational change