The Impact of the Degree of Economic Development on Individualism and Collectivism in Chinese Provinces at Different Temporal and Spatial Scales

Abstract: Based on the panel data of economic indicators and microblog word frequencies of individualism and collectivism in Chinese provinces from 2010 to 2020, this study analyses the effects of the degree of economic development of Chinese provinces on individualism and collectivism at different time and spatial scales. The economic indicators were downscaled by principal component analysis, and three main components, namely, economic scale, living standard and price level, were extracted, and principal component models, principal component and time interaction models, and principal component and time and region interaction models were constructed, respectively. The results show that both collectivism and individualism are significantly affected by economic scale and price level, with price level having a smaller effect, and time moderates the effect of economic scale on collectivism and individualism, with the positive effect of economic scale possibly diminishing over time. Region only plays a role in collectivism, and the role of economic size on collectivism in the eastern region fluctuates with the year. The findings suggest that time moderates the effect of the degree of economic development on individualism across Chinese provinces, and that time and region also have significant moderating effects on the relationship between the degree of economic development and collectivism across Chinese provinces, further suggesting that research on individualism and collectivism should consider larger temporal and spatial scales.