Who are your people?

Abstract

Appalachia is home to more than 25 million people (ARCa, 2012), yet it is rarely featured in psychological research. The region also has a reputation as being individualistic, even compared to the individualistic United States in which it exists. However, Appalachia also has several cultural markers associated with collectivism. The present studies seek to address this seeming paradox through the use of multiple methodologies, including qualitative analysis and a variety of quantitative measures. Study 1 examined viewbooks from universities both inside and outside Appalachia for individualistic and collectivistic markers. Study 2 used surveys containing two traditional individualism/collectivism scales and three individual difference and behavioral measures to test the same question quantitatively. Results suggest that Appalachia displays several characteristics that would mark it as more individualistic than the U.S. mainstream, but also evidence of a collectivistic subculture.