Different theories of cross-cultural communication developed by researchers in the field of humanities including cultural anthropology, social psychology, cognitive science, etc., offer a variety of ways to classify national cultures. At the same time, many agree that there is a need to find clear and measurable fundamental parameters that underlie any national culture. This article substantiates the use of the parameter of “individualism versus collectivism,” which has already been tested in the framework of anthropology and philosophy of culture with regard to both Western and non-Western cultures, as an effective method of cultural comparison. In this paper, we aim to give an overview of various theories of cross-cultural interaction and their elements, examine where they overlap or diverge, look into the correlation between individualist/ collectivist value orientations and behaviour, and study how this parameter manifests itself in a number of cases. The study is based on philosophical, anthropological, and cultural psychological theories, including the theory of guilt and shame cultures by Ruth Benedict, the theory of self-presentation by Roy Baumeister and Debra Hutton, the theory of self-construal by Hazel Markus and Shinobu Kitayama, and the theory of cultural logics by Angela Leung and Dov Cohen. As empirical confirmation of the above theoretical approaches, this article provides real-life examples collected by the author. The relevant literature was subject to categorical analysis. Empirical data was collected and analysed using methods such as participant observation and discourse analysis. The comparative approach and hermeneutics techniques served as a general methodological prism. The study shows that, at least since the 1960s, specialists in the field of cultural studies have increasingly discovered limitations and inconsistencies in theories that previously claimed to be universal: many of the models which originated in the West do not adequately represent non-Western cultures. The study proves the workability of the parameter of individualism versus collectivism for the interpretation of behavioural inconsistencies between people of different cultures. This parameter is compatible with a wide range of frameworks and shows a clear correlation between behavioural characteristics in different cultures and allows us to interpret phenomena that were previously uninterpretable.

English translation from the Russian text: Khalil M. A. 2024. The Impact of the Parameter Individualism Versus Collectivism on the Formation of Behavioural Characteristics in People of Various National Cultures. Concept: Philosophy, Religion, Culture. 8(1). P. 71–90. (In Russian). DOI: https://doi.org/10.24833/2541-8831-2024-1-29-71-90