Self, Culture, and Sustainable Development

Abstract

Sustainable development is a multifaceted concept that integrates social, economic, environmental, and institutional dimensions. It offers the possibility of a quality of life, balanced by both economic growth and ecological preservation. This chapter explores the relationship between independent and interdependent self-construals (Markus & Kitayama, 1991), as reflected in human values (Oishi, Schimmack, Diener, & Suh, 1998), and some cultural indicators of sustainable development (e.g., corruption perceptions index, human development index, emissions of carbon dioxide). A meta-analysis is reported using available data on culture as measured with the Schwartz Value Survey (Schwartz, 1992, 1994) and indicators of sustainable development (OECD Environmental Data, 2001; Transparency International, 2001; United Nations, 2001; United Nations Development Programme, 2001).