What follows is a discourse analysis of selected segments of talk primarily by American children with two elders at a buffet dinner in the United States. Selection relates to the concept of individualism-collectivism in view of potential comparative cultural study between the United States and Japan or East Asia. Some evidence, for example, is found for societal change in America in regard to whom pays for college―parent or child. Such issue strikes at the heart of the individualism-collectivism continuum, especially as it pertains to American and Japanese cultures. No claim is made for representativeness of the data; for this study is preliminary and remains suggestive. Its value lies in potential pedagogical use and pointing to further avenues for research.
Ray T. Donahue (Sun,) studied this question.