The authors report two studies on notions of honor (i.e., the situations and behaviors associated with honor,its enhancement, and its loss) in a Mediterranean country (Spain) and a northern European country (the Netherlands). A total of 271 persons (140 Spanish, 131 Dutch) participated in Study 1, and a total of 327 persons (169 Spanish, 158 Dutch) participated in Study 2. The main aim of Study 1 was to characterize Spain and The Netherlands in terms of their value priorities. Study 2 consisted of an in-depth analysis of Spanish and Dutch participants' free descriptions of honor. The results indicated that Spanish and Dutch notions of honor are closely related to the values emphasized in these countries: Honor is more closely related to family and social independence in Spain than in The Netherlands, whereas honor is associated with self-achievement and autonomy to a greater extent in The Netherlands than in Spain. (Author/publisher)
Abstract