Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to critically evaluate the cross-cultural generalizability of commitment theories developed in North America. While the issues raised are expected to apply to various conceptualizations of commitment, the three-component model (TCM) is chosen as the reference model due to its prevalence both in the mainstream and cross-cultural commitment literatures. Next, the chapter attempts to provide a theoretical and methodological roadmap for future research on commitment in different contexts. To this end, the recent discussions in cross-cultural psychology on the utility and limitations of the extant value frameworks and approaches to defining culture at the individual level as well as in multilevel frameworks are summarized. The chapter ends with basic guidelines for sampling and instrumentation in cross-cultural research as well as a call for indigenous studies of commitment.