Globalizing Indigenous Psychology: An East Asian Form of Hierarchical Relationalism with Worldwide Implications

Abstract Globalization has changed almost every facet of life for people around the world, and today the flow of influence is no longer uni‐directional. It is argued that E ast A sian (and especially C hinese) societies are anchored in an indigenous form of hierarchical relationalism where social structure is produced by relational obligations of an ethical and normative nature that have slowed its traditional culture “melting into air” as prophesied by M arx. The successfully modernization of E ast A sia has involved hybridization, compartmentalization, and sequencing of traditional psychological features of C onfucianist societies such as delay of gratification and respect for education, paternalistic leadership, filial piety, and beliefs in harmony or benevolence. Features of hierarchical relationalism are adaptable to creating niches for East Asian societies that thrive under globalization as characterized by the paradoxical coupling of economic inequality in fact with discourses of equality in principle . Moral, ethical demands for enlightened leadership constrain E ast A sian elites to at least attempt to protect subordinates and protect societal (rather than merely individual or familial) well‐being. A fundamental contribution of E ast A sia to global society may be in the articulation of how to ameliorate economic inequality using C onfucian principles of hierarchical relationalism.