Revealing Self-Promotive Interdependence through Emotion: A Cultural Logic from Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) exhibits a unique cultural dynamic, herein called self-promotive interdependence, based on the belief that group success depends on the personal achievements of its members. Within this cultural system, individual striving and within-group competition are seen not as contradictions, but as vital contributions to collective welfare. We tested this hypothesis by examining patterns of emotional expression (Total N > 6000). Study participants across several SSA countries reportedly expressed both socially disengaging (e.g., pride) and engaging positive emotions (e.g., feelings of closeness) upon success, regardless of whether it was personal or belonged to an ingroup member. This sharply contrasts with patterns found in the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, East Asia, and the West. Together, this study offers the first multi-national evidence for self-promotive interdependence, highlighting a cultural logic in SSA where personal advancement and group cohesion are not in conflict, but fundamentally intertwined.