Culture and Self-construal: Implications for the Social Cognitions of Young Cohorts in Romania

We have examined the manner in which a set of social cognitions such as self-efficacy, authenticity, satisfaction with life and coping style relate to independent-interdependent self-construal on a 435 student sample from Timisoara (Romania). The results describe an ambivalent structure of self-construal, with highest scores for self-reliance and uniqueness (for independent self-construal) and inclusion (for interdependent self-construal). These outcomes are in contradiction with the stereotypical image of Romanian collectivism, on a societal level, and of disengaging social cognitions on an interpersonal level.