Historical and Contemporary Predictors of Regional Cultural Differences in Individualism-Collectivism in Russia

Grounded in the ecocultural framework, this study examines the historical and contemporary predictors of regional cultural differences in individualism–collectivism (IND–COL) across Russia, focusing on private land ownership in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and current employment in agriculture. The analysis reveals that regions with a higher prevalence of private land ownership in 1877 and 1905 exhibit stronger individualistic tendencies in modern times, suggesting a continuity of cultural traits. Additionally, contemporary factors such as the share of the workforce employed in agriculture and ethnic composition – particularly the proportion of ethnic Russians – emerge as significant predictors of IND–COL differences. However, urbanization shows no significant relationship with regional cultural variation in IND–COL, indicating that although it may correlate with individualism, it is not a primary predictor. The findings underscore that factors rooted in traditional subsistence strategies exert a profound and lasting influence on regional cultural differences, persisting even through the sweeping societal transformations of the Soviet era.