Introduction: Cultural values, particularly the individualism-collectivism dimension, are foundational to understanding cross-cultural variations in cognition and behavior. Among these, risk preference and framing effects have drawn significant attention, yet few studies have explored how cultural values moderate the strength of framing effects in risk-related decisions.


Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms through which cultural values influence framing effects. Grounded in the cushion hypothesis, we examined whether collectivist cultures foster greater risk-seeking. Furthermore, based on psychological game theory, we hypothesized a nonlinear, inverted U-shaped relationship between cultural values and the magnitude of the framing effect.


Method: The study employed the classic "Asian Disease Problem" paradigm. Three cultural indices (Hofstede, Schwartz, GLOBE) served as independent variables, with data from large, multinational samples. The dependent variable was risk preference. Analyses controlled for individual-level factors (e.g., age, gender) and macro-level indicators (e.g., GDP per capita, Human Development Index).


Results: Findings were consistent across all three indices, showing that individuals from more collectivist cultures exhibited stronger risk-seeking tendencies, particularly under loss frames. Curve-fitting analyses confirmed the inverted U-shaped relationship, indicating that the framing effect was strongest in culturally moderate contexts that were neither strongly collectivist nor individualist.


Conclusions: Collectivist cultural values are associated with a greater inclination toward risk-taking. These findings support both the cushion hypothesis and predictions from psychological game theory, deepening the cross-cultural understanding of risk-related decision-making. They also suggest that activating collectivist values may foster decisions that prioritize public interest and collective responsibility.