Student responses might identify Maddie’s remark about her mother supporting her intention to go to New York even though it will mean she will not have her daughter as close to her as she would wish, or point to Tyler’s similar comment about his parents being proud of his choice to teach in Malaysia while preferring that he live and work much closer to home. Student responses may also mention John’s expectation that he will have to find alternative ways to finance medical school because his father cannot promise support.

Student responses will vary in response to this question. If a student responds that his or her family is collectivist then there might be an example to illustrate this assessment, such as the members of the family are expected to help out with their elderly parents, or that they share in important decision-making, or that they are expected to sublimate their personal goals whenever they conflict with the goals of the family. If a student responds that his/her family is individualist, they may offer illustrative examples such as they are encouraged to find their own way of supporting themselves after a certain age, or that if their personal goals compete with family obligations they will often honor their own goals first, or that the family finds it practical to have elderly relatives placed in assisted care rather than having them live with the family.

Although answers may vary, student responses should indicate that Louise would feel more pressure to please her parents if her family was collectivist as she would likely put their goals above her own. Further, some students might suggest that a collectivist family might require Louise to marry only someone they approve of, or to marry someone they select.