Honor, dignity, and migration: navigating cultural norms and threat responses among native Indians, Germans, and Indian migrants in Germany

Abstract

The present dissertation examines the role of honor and dignity norms in individual reactions to threats against one’s reputation and intrinsic sense of being among two distinct groups: natives of honor and dignity cultures, and migrants transitioning from honor to dignity cultures. In doing so, it addresses three key research questions: how are honor and dignity perceived as distinct aspects of self-worth in honor and dignity cultures; are there differences in the endorsement of these norms between natives of these cultures and migrants who move between them; and what role do these norms play in one’s reactions when their honor and dignity are threatened. To address these questions, the thesis employs a mixed-methods approach. It begins with a qualitative exploratory study involving focus group discussions conducted in India and Germany, which were chosen as representative cases of honor and dignity cultures, respectively. This study aimed to explore what people in these cultural contexts mean when they act in the name of honor or strive to uphold dignity. Building on the insights from this qualitative work, a subsequent quantitative study was conducted which tested the norm endorsement and reactions to different threat scenarios, developed from the qualitative findings, among native Indians, Germans, and Indian migrants in Germany. The findings from both studies make important contributions to two broad areas: acculturation within the honor-dignity paradigm; and the understanding of dignity as a facet of self-worth. These contributions have important implications for broader research in cross-cultural psychology, particularly within the honor-dignity framework, as well as practical applications in the context of migrant integration and cross-culturally sensitive interpersonal behavior.