Allocentric versus Idiocentric Social Behavior: A Major Cultural Difference between Hispanics and the Mainstream.

Numerous findings, reported in previous reports of this project, converge and point to a major cultural difference between U.S. Hispanics and Mainstream individuals. Hispanics are allocentric--their behavior is strongly influenced by consideration of how it will affect other people--while Mainstream individuals are idiocentric--they give more weight to the effect that the behavior will have on them than on others. This dimension corresponds to the collectivism-individualism dimension discussed in the literature. However, collectivism has surplus meaning, and allocentricity is preferred, since it can be defined more precisely. A broad literature is reviewed that examines data organized along the allocentric-idiocentric axis. A theoretical framework is developed that specifies antecedents and consequents of allocentric vs. idiocentric behaviors. The framework suggests numerous ways to measure this dimension, and some of them are described. The appendix includes one instrument that measures it. Finally, the implications of differences between Hispanics and Mainstream on this dimension for the Navys personnel policies as well as Hispanic recruitment and retention are explored. Author