This study analyzed photos posted on Instagram by 5 American and 5 Japanese design students over 2 months to explore cultural tendencies. Individualist American culture emphasizes personal achievement and competition, while collectivist Japanese culture prioritizes family and group goals. The American students' photos primarily featured selfies and photos with others, fitting individualist norms of self-promotion. Conversely, the Japanese students rarely posted photos of themselves and more often featured surroundings, aligning with collectivist values of subtlety and close relationships over virtual connections. In conclusion, the types of photos uploaded to Instagram reflected the different cultural influences of individualism in the US versus collectivism in Japan.

1. By Hannah Ruben
Individual vs. Collectivist
tendencies as represented on
Instagram
By Hannah Ruben

2. Background
• Cultures are typically divided into
two categories: collectivist and
individualist
• Individualist cultures, such as
those of the United States
emphasize personal achievement
regardless of the expense of
group goals, resulting in a strong
sense of competition.
• Collectivist cultures, such as
Japan, emphasize family and
work group goals above
individual needs or desires.

3. • Are the kinds of photos (Selfies vs w/others)
uploaded on Instagram representative of a
collective/individual culture’s values?
• To find an answer, I will study the of types
photos uploaded on Instagram photos by five
American and five Japanese design school
students, over the course of two months.
Research Question

4. • Measure the incidence of
how many specific kinds of
photos are uploaded within
a sample of each culture to
find statistical data
analysis.
• Exploratory: I hope seek
new insight, and uncover
new questions about why
each culture choses to
upload certain photo
• Observation: I will look at
individuals’ profiles to see
what they upload, rather
than discover why they
upload.
METHOD
Quantitative Approach: Examine 5
public profiles from each culture, and
the most recent photos they post over a
two month period of time

5. Ethical Issues
• Will only be observing
public profiles, thus may
skew overall results when
observing only individuals
who knowingly are
uploading photos to the
entire public, not simply
accepted followers
– Can certain photos constitute
mixed signals of
individual/collective? For
example, photo of food at a
restaurant, alone or with
others?

6. Timeline

7. Japanese Data: Subjects 1
& 2

8. Japanese Data: Subjects 3
& 4

9. Japanese Data: Subject 5

10. Findings
Selfies: 7/25 Group Shots: 2/25
Photos without any people: 14/25 Food Pictures: 8/25

11. Findings
• A majority of photos do not
even have the subject, or
anyone else for that matter,
in their uploads.
• Stronger inclination to upload
photos of food, nature, or
surroundings.

12. How this relates to
Japanese Collectivism
• Each person is encouraged
to be an active player in
society, to do what is best
for society as a whole rather
than themselves.
• Uploads encompass what
they are doing, rather than
who they are.
• The Japanese emphasize
nonverbal communication
and subtleness rather than
being frank.

13. Japanese Collectivism
Continued• High-context cultures are
extremely polite, which fits
with the indirect, subtle
nature of interpersonal
communication.
• One purpose of this style of
communication is to avoid
threatening the face of
one’s conversation partner,
thus bringing shame upon
oneself. What is not said
may be more important than
what is said. (Satoko
Suzuki)

14. American Data: Subjects 1 & 2

15. American Subjects 3 & 4

16. American Subject 5

17. Findings:
Selfies: 10/25 Group Photos: 11/25
Misc. Photos: 4/25

18. Findings:
• Nearly all uploads have
the subject in them.
• There is a very even
distribution of Selfies vs.
group photos.

19. How this relates to
Individualist values
• “I” Identity: People are
encouraged to do
things on their own; to
rely on themselves
• Sharing an unlimited
amount information
about one’s self online
is now a cultural norm.

20. American Individualistic
Values Continued
• Some researchers strongly
suspect that social
networking may favor
narcissistic behavior, too
(Clemmitt, M).
• All of these studies clearly
show the Internet and online
social networking are major
players in the rise self-
centeredness in American
culture.

21. Comparison of American vs.
Japanese Instagram Photos and
Cultural Differences
• Photos from sample are closely
tied to the characteristics of
American individualistic and
Japanese collectivistic cultures
• Due to the emphasis on social
bonding and interdependence,
Japanese people may focus on
the maintenance and
enhancement of relationships
with close ties in the non-virtual
world.
• Meanwhile, Americans are likely
to expand their network by
making new connections with
those who share common
interests, which often result in
weak relationships.

22. Conclusion
• My findings concluded that
American Instagram users are far
more reliant on the application as a
means of self-representation.
– Used almost as a tool of self-
promotion, as nearly all photos are
Selfies, or themselves with others,
fitting with American individualist
influence.
• Japanese users were far less willing
to upload photos of themselves,
and even less inclined to included
photos with others
– This conclusion is also parallel with
collective values, which puts more
of an emphasis on closer, more
meaningful relationships than what
can be provided virtually.

23. References
Acar, Adam. "Culture And Social Media Usage: Analysis Of Japanese
Twitter Users." International Journal of Electronic Commerce
Studies (2013): 21-32. Print.
Clemmitt, M. (2010, September 17). Social networking. CQ Researcher , 20 ,
749-772. Retrieved from
http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/
Satoko Suzuki, Kosuke Takemura (2013), Culture and Social Media:
Exploration of Differences Between the United States and Japan, in
Miguel R. Olivas-Luján, Tanya Bondarouk (ed.) Social Media in
Strategic Management (Advanced Series in Management, Volume
11), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.245-258
Sohn, Dongyoung. Social Network Structures and the Internet: Collective
Dynamics in Virtual Communities. Amherst, NY: Cambria, 2008. Print.
Zollman, Josh. #SelfishCultureProblems: The Rise of a Self-Centered
Culture. Diss. 2012. Print.