ABSTRACT
A large proportion of the literature on personal development carries a decidedly Western orientation, which affects the way in which students learn about personal adjustment skills. This chapter discusses ways in which Micronesian students’ motives for and approaches to learning depart from those assumed by Western-oriented courses in personal adjustment. Micronesian students tend to be very respectful of authority figures. Micronesian students on Guam appear to share many of the characteristics of cultural collectivism, interdependence and high power distance. Cultural collectivism encourages individuals to attend with vigilance to the specific demands of the situations in which they find themselves, and to others’ expectations of them in particular. The available research on Micronesians strongly suggests that many traditional Micronesian cultures promote collectivism and high power distance. A student workbook for a personal adjustment course assumes that students will welcome the chance to self-disclose to their instructors and classmates.
