What do national flags stand for?: An exploration of associations across 11 countries

What do national flags stand for? : An exploration of associations across 11 countries

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 (the 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), associations referring to aggression were not fully rejected; 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.

Butz, D. A.Morehead State University, KY, USA (author)
Sibley, C. G.University of Auckland, New Zealand (author)
Barlow, F. K.Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia; The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (author)
Bitacola, L. M.University of Western Ontario, London, Canada (author)
Christ, O.University of Hagen, Germany (author)
Khan, Sammyh,1979-Keele University, UK(Swepub:oru)sykn (author)
Leong, C. -HNational University of Singapore, Singapore (author)
Pehrson, S.University of St Andrews, Scotland (author)
Srinivasan, N.University of Allahabad, India (author)
Sulz, A.TU Dresden, Germany (author)
Tausch, N.University of St Andrews, Scotland (author)
Urbanska, K.Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland (author)
Wright, S. C.Simon Fraser University, Burnaby British Columbia, Canada (author)
University of Osnabrueck, GermanyMorehead State University, KY, USA (creator_code:org_t)

In:Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology: Sage Publications48:3, s. 335-3520022-02211552-5422

By the author/editor: Becker, J. C.; Butz, D. A.; Sibley, C. G.; Barlow, F. K.; Bitacola, L. M.; Christ, O.; show more...; Khan, Sammyh, 19 ...; Leong, C. -H; Pehrson, S.; Srinivasan, N.; Sulz, A.; Tausch, N.; Urbanska, K.; Wright, S. C.; show less...

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