Seeing the Good and Bad in One’s Culture

This research introduces the novel construct of cultural norm duality, operationalized as within-subject variability in the endorsement of perceived cultural norms, and examines its relationship to cognitive and intergroup outcomes. Because cultural norm duality reflects a nuanced view of one’s own culture as consisting of both personally supported and rejected facets, we predicted that it would be associated with positive intergroup attitudes and behaviors. Across three studies with diverse designs and samples, increases in cultural norm duality were associated with variables conducive to positive intergroup contact (e.g., cultural humility, Study 1), reduced cognitive and affective outgroup derogation (Study 2), and predicted a more balanced information seeking pattern on an issue regarding one’s ingroup, an indication of attenuated ingroup favoritism (Study 3). Results from these three studies lend support to the validity of cultural norm duality and hold important implications for conceptualizing individuals’ relationships with their culture.