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Khan, SS, Becker, JC, Butz, DA, Sibley, CG, Barlow, FK, Bitacola, L, Christ, O, Leong, CH, Pehrson, S, Srinivasan, N, Sulz, A, Tausch, N, Urbanska, K and Wright, S (2017) What do national flags stand for?: an exploration of associations across 11 countries. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 48 (3). pp. 335-352. ISSN 0022-0221
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Abstract
We examined the concepts and emotions people associate with their national flag, and how these associations are related to nationalism and patriotism across 11 countries. Factor analyses indicated that the structures of associations differed across countries in ways that reflect their idiosyncratic historical developments. Positive emotions and egalitarian concepts were associated with national flags across countries. However, notable differences between countries were found due to historical politics. In societies known for being peaceful and open-minded (e.g., Canada, Scotland), egalitarianism was separable from honor-related concepts and associated with the flag; in countries that were currently involved in struggles for independence (e.g., Scotland) and countries with an imperialist past (United Kingdom), the flag was strongly associated with power-related concepts; in countries with a negative past (e.g., Germany), the primary association was sports; in countries with disruption due to separatist or extremist movements (e.g., Northern Ireland, Turkey), aggression-related concepts were not disassociated; in collectivist societies (India, Singapore), obedience was linked to positive associations and strongly associated with the flag. In addition, the more strongly individuals endorsed nationalism and patriotism, the more they associated positive emotions and egalitarian concepts with their flag. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Item Type: | Article |
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Additional Information: | © 2016 Sage Publications, The Authors; This is the accepted author manuscript (AAM). The final published version (version of record) is available online via Sage Publications at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0022022116687851 - please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher. Published online first. |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | national flags, egalitarianism, power, emotions, nationalism, patriotism |
Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology |
Divisions: | Faculty of Natural Sciences > School of Psychology |
Depositing User: | Symplectic |
Date Deposited: | 31 Oct 2016 10:33 |
Last Modified: | 26 Feb 2021 14:52 |
URI: | https://eprints.keele.ac.uk/id/eprint/2374 |