Cultural Distance Perception Scale

What it measures

Measures perceived cultural distance between a consumer's home culture and a target foreign culture. Cultural distance affects country-of-origin evaluations, international brand acceptance, and expatriate adaptation. The subjective perception of cultural proximity is a better predictor of consumer behaviour than objective Hofstede-based distance scores.

Response format

Likert (1–7, very similar to very different)

Scale items

• The lifestyle in [target country] is very different from [home country].
• The values held by consumers in [target country] differ greatly from those in [home country].
• The purchasing habits of consumers in [target country] are very different from those in [home country].
• The business practices of companies in [target country] are very different from those in [home country].
• The culture of [target country] is very different from [home country].
• The consumer needs and preferences in [target country] differ significantly from [home country].

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Score = mean. Higher = greater perceived cultural distance. Perceived distance is more predictive than objective distance in consumer studies. Widely used in international brand evaluation and cross-border e-commerce research.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Kogut, B., & Singh, H. (1988). The effect of national culture on the choice of entry mode. Journal of International Business Studies, 19(3), 411–432.

Keywords