Feeling Capable in an Ubuntu Way: Kenyan Comprehensions of Control Beliefs Compared with the German Perspective
In Western personnel psychology, control beliefs are a valued predictor for work-related outcomes. Yet, little is known about the culture-specific functioning of control in East Africa. Kenya, as an Ubuntu culture, is examined regarding control beliefs and contrasted with a German sample considered...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
De Gruyter
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Open Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/psych-2022-0004 |
| _version_ | 1811171433092481024 |
|---|---|
| author | Heinecke-Müller Michaela Quaiser-Pohl Claudia Kariuki Priscilla W. Arasa Josephine N. |
| author_facet | Heinecke-Müller Michaela Quaiser-Pohl Claudia Kariuki Priscilla W. Arasa Josephine N. |
| author_sort | Heinecke-Müller Michaela |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In Western personnel psychology, control beliefs are a valued predictor for work-related outcomes. Yet, little is known about the culture-specific functioning of control in East Africa. Kenya, as an Ubuntu culture, is examined regarding control beliefs and contrasted with a German sample considered to represent an individualistic or Western culture. Responses to N=143 quantitative personality tests were attended with qualitative interviews on control beliefs (self-concept of ability, internality, powerful others, and chance). Content validity and factor structure of control beliefs were analyzed, followed by a Procrustean target rotation. Linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the predictability of job performance, achievement motivation, and well-being. Item comprehension, as well as factor structure of the four control aspects, differ between the two samples. In particular, the ‘powerful others’ control aspect diverges the most between the cultures. Linear regression analyses showed comparable, but not fully congruent predictability. Results indicate that an uncritical transfer of the control beliefs measure from one culture to another is inappropriate. Results fit in the picture of African Ubuntu philosophy, emphasizing social-relational aspects shaping control beliefs. More emic-etic based research is demanded concerning intra- and intercultural variability of control beliefs to depict a transcultural applicable and invariant model. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T17:15:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6f8f8d3ed3d44b3999a157626af12233 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2543-8883 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T17:15:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-6f8f8d3ed3d44b3999a157626af122332023-02-05T18:11:57ZengDe GruyterOpen Psychology2543-88832022-06-0141608310.1515/psych-2022-0004Feeling Capable in an Ubuntu Way: Kenyan Comprehensions of Control Beliefs Compared with the German PerspectiveHeinecke-Müller Michaela0Quaiser-Pohl Claudia1Kariuki Priscilla W.2Arasa Josephine N.3University of Koblenz-Landau, Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, GermanyInstitute of Psychology, University of Koblenz – Landau, Koblenz, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, KenyaPsychology Department, United States International University-Africa, Nairobi, KenyaIn Western personnel psychology, control beliefs are a valued predictor for work-related outcomes. Yet, little is known about the culture-specific functioning of control in East Africa. Kenya, as an Ubuntu culture, is examined regarding control beliefs and contrasted with a German sample considered to represent an individualistic or Western culture. Responses to N=143 quantitative personality tests were attended with qualitative interviews on control beliefs (self-concept of ability, internality, powerful others, and chance). Content validity and factor structure of control beliefs were analyzed, followed by a Procrustean target rotation. Linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the predictability of job performance, achievement motivation, and well-being. Item comprehension, as well as factor structure of the four control aspects, differ between the two samples. In particular, the ‘powerful others’ control aspect diverges the most between the cultures. Linear regression analyses showed comparable, but not fully congruent predictability. Results indicate that an uncritical transfer of the control beliefs measure from one culture to another is inappropriate. Results fit in the picture of African Ubuntu philosophy, emphasizing social-relational aspects shaping control beliefs. More emic-etic based research is demanded concerning intra- and intercultural variability of control beliefs to depict a transcultural applicable and invariant model.https://doi.org/10.1515/psych-2022-0004control beliefsemic-eticubuntutransculturalpersonnel psychology |
| spellingShingle | Heinecke-Müller Michaela Quaiser-Pohl Claudia Kariuki Priscilla W. Arasa Josephine N. Feeling Capable in an Ubuntu Way: Kenyan Comprehensions of Control Beliefs Compared with the German Perspective Open Psychology control beliefs emic-etic ubuntu transcultural personnel psychology |
| title | Feeling Capable in an Ubuntu Way: Kenyan Comprehensions of Control Beliefs Compared with the German Perspective |
| title_full | Feeling Capable in an Ubuntu Way: Kenyan Comprehensions of Control Beliefs Compared with the German Perspective |
| title_fullStr | Feeling Capable in an Ubuntu Way: Kenyan Comprehensions of Control Beliefs Compared with the German Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Feeling Capable in an Ubuntu Way: Kenyan Comprehensions of Control Beliefs Compared with the German Perspective |
| title_short | Feeling Capable in an Ubuntu Way: Kenyan Comprehensions of Control Beliefs Compared with the German Perspective |
| title_sort | feeling capable in an ubuntu way kenyan comprehensions of control beliefs compared with the german perspective |
| topic | control beliefs emic-etic ubuntu transcultural personnel psychology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/psych-2022-0004 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT heineckemullermichaela feelingcapableinanubuntuwaykenyancomprehensionsofcontrolbeliefscomparedwiththegermanperspective AT quaiserpohlclaudia feelingcapableinanubuntuwaykenyancomprehensionsofcontrolbeliefscomparedwiththegermanperspective AT kariukipriscillaw feelingcapableinanubuntuwaykenyancomprehensionsofcontrolbeliefscomparedwiththegermanperspective AT arasajosephinen feelingcapableinanubuntuwaykenyancomprehensionsofcontrolbeliefscomparedwiththegermanperspective |