Background: Globalization has been a major force in shaping cultural identities. While it facilitates cultural exchange (Melluish, 2014), it may erode traditions and promote cultural homogenization (Bird & Stevens, 2003). Societies adopt different strategies to balance change and cultural preservation (Adams et al., 2007). Examining how young adults perceive the importance of preserving their own versus foreign culture provides valuable insights into the dynamics of cultural sustainability worldwide.
Methods: Participants were 60 students from the U.S. (30 males, 30 females, 20.29±3.21 years old) and 60 from South Africa (30 males, 30 females, 21.42±3.22 years old). Each completed a semi-structured interview with Likert-scale questions on the importance of preserving U.S., African, and Indian culture, followed by open-ended explanations. Quantitative data were analyzed using nonparametric tests, while qualitative data were analyzed with NVivo software.
Results: In the U.S. sample, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests suggested significantly lower scores for students' ratings of the importance of preserving their own culture (M = 4.01; Mdn = 4.00) compared to preserving African (M = 4.53, Mdn = 5.00; z = −3.91, p < .001) or Indian culture (M = 4.55, Mdn = 5.00; z = −3.74, p < .001). In the South African sample, students rated the importance of preserving their own culture (M = 4.51, Mdn = 5.00) significantly higher than the importance of preserving American culture (M = 3.89, Mdn = 4.00; z = 4.24, p < .001), but not significantly different from the importance of preserving Indian culture (M = 4.50, Mdn = 4.00; z = 0.14, p = .888).
Conclusions: Findings highlight distinct cross-cultural differences. U.S. students valued African and Indian cultures more than their own, while South African students prioritized their own culture over American traditions but valued Indian culture similarly. Qualitative data will help illuminate the roots of these differences.