10 minutes with Geert Hofstede on Indulgence versus Restraint 01032015

Summary

Dr. Michael Minkov introduced the 'Indulgence vs. Restraint' dimension to describe societal differences in subjective happiness and life control. This concept, based on data from the World Value Survey (1995-2004), contrasts societies that freely gratify human desires and enjoy life with those that suppress desires through strict social norms. The Indulgence vs. Restraint Index (IVR), ranging from 0 to 100, measures a society's position on this spectrum. Countries like Mexico and Nigeria score high on indulgence, while Egypt and other Islamic nations are highly restrained. The IVR correlates with various societal aspects, including freedom of speech, crime rates, obesity, and attitudes towards foreign media. Over the past 30 years, the world has seen a general increase in indulgence.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The 'Indulgence vs. Restraint' dimension was introduced by Dr. Michael Minkov to describe differences in subjective happiness and life control based on the World Values Survey data from 1995 to 2004.
• 🎉 Indulgent societies allow more freedom in satisfying basic human desires, leading to a greater enjoyment of life and fun, whereas restrained societies suppress these desires with strict social norms.
• 📊 The Indulgence vs. Restraint Index (IVR) measures a society's position on a scale from 0 (restraint) to 100 (indulgence), with no absolute standard but relative comparisons.
• 🌏 Examples of indulgent societies include Mexico, Nigeria, Sweden, and Australia, while restrained societies are represented by France, Japan, Germany, and China.
• 🤔 People in indulgent societies tend to feel more in control of their lives and happier, even if their objective health status is similar to those in restrained societies.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Indulgent societies often have a leisure ethic, more extroverted personalities, and place higher importance on having friends and participating in sports.
• 🚫 Restrained societies typically have stricter moral disciplines and sexual mores, and they prioritize maintaining order over freedom of speech.
• 🌱 The IVR dimension correlates with various societal aspects, such as crime rates, police force sizes, birth rates, obesity levels, and approval of foreign music and films.
• 🌐 When combined with the Long-term vs. Short-term Orientation dimension, it divides the world into four areas: indulgent short-term, restrained short-term, restrained long-term, and indulgent long-term.
• 📈 Over the past 30 years, there has been a global increase in indulgence, with societies becoming less restrained, although the relative positions of countries have remained consistent.
• 🔍 The shift in indulgence levels reflects deeply ingrained values that are passed down through generations and are challenging to change in adulthood.

Q & A

Who coined the terms 'indulgence' and 'restraint' for cultural dimensions?

Dr. Michael Minkov coined the terms 'indulgence' and 'restraint' to describe certain differences he found in the World's Value Survey.

What is the main focus of the indulgence versus restraint dimension?

The indulgence versus restraint dimension is mainly related to feelings of subjective happiness or unhappiness and the control people have over their own lives or the opposite.

What is the source of data for the indulgence versus restraint dimension?

The data for this dimension is based on the World Value Survey collected between 1995 and 2004, covering 93 countries.

How do indulgence societies differ from restraint societies in terms of gratification of human desires?

Indulgence societies allow relatively free gratification of basic and natural human desires, leading to enjoying life and having fun, while restraint societies suppress gratification of needs and regulate them with strict social norms.

What is the perception of personal life control in indulgence versus restraint societies?

In indulgence societies, people have a perception of personal life control and feel in charge of their own lives, whereas in restraint societies, people tend to feel that what happens to them is not their own doing and depends on other factors.

How do the attitudes towards leisure and work differ between indulgence and restraint societies?

Indulgence societies have a leisure ethic, while restraint societies emphasize work.

What is the correlation between indulgence or restraint and the importance of freedom of speech?

In indulgence societies, freedom of speech for all is considered very important, while in restraint societies, maintaining order in the nation is considered more important than freedom of speech.

How does the crime rate and police force size differ between indulgence and restraint societies?

Indulgence societies tend to have higher crime rates but smaller police forces, while restraint societies have lower crime rates and larger police forces.

What is the relationship between indulgence or restraint and birth rates in educated populations?

In educated populations, indulgence societies tend to have higher birth rates, while restraint societies tend to have lower birth rates.

How does the approval of foreign music and films differ between indulgence and restraint societies?

Indulgence societies have higher approval of foreign music and films, while restraint societies have lower approval.

How is the level of indulgence versus restraint measured?

The level of indulgence versus restraint is measured using the Indulgence versus Restraint Index (IVR), which is plotted on a scale from 0 to 100, with 0 representing restraint societies and 100 representing indulgence societies.

What are some examples of countries on the indulgence side of the IVR scale?

Countries on the indulgence side of the IVR scale include Mexico, Nigeria, Sweden, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States.

What are some examples of countries on the restraint side of the IVR scale?

Countries on the restraint side of the IVR scale include France, Japan, Germany, Italy, India, China, Russia, and Egypt.

How have the levels of indulgence in the world changed over the past 30 years according to the research?

According to the research, over the past 30 years, the level of indulgence in the world has grown, meaning societies have become more indulgence and the number of restraint societies has diminished.