个体主义／集体主义是衡量文化的重要维度。两者的价值取向有所区别，前者关注自我的独特性，而后者关注自我与他人的关系。近年来研究者发现了众多影响个体主义／集体主义的新因素并构建了理论。这些理论中有4个理论非常具有代表性：现代化理论、气候一经济理论、传染病理论以及大米理论。其中后3个理论从远因的角度来对个体主义／集体主义的成因进行了探讨，为研究者探究个体主义／集体主义成因提供了新思路。未来个体主义／集体主义影响因素的研究可以用多种测量方法综合的方式或者从基因的角度来进行探索。

Cultural construct of individualism/collectivism is particularly relevant cultural dimension. The value orientations of individualism and collectivism are poles apart. Individualism focuses on the self-distinctiveness, while collectivism focuses on the interpersonal relationships. So far many new theories have been proposed in order to explain the factors that influenced individualism/collectivism. There are four representative theories among those： modernization theory, pathogen prevalence theory, rice theory and climate - economic theory. The latter three theories are relatively new theories put forward in recent years, and they discuss the causes of individualism/collectivism from the perspective of distal factor. They provide a new way of thinking for researchers investigating the origins of individualism/collectivism. Future research should integrate different approaches to measure individualism/collectivism and/ or explore the influence factors of individualism/collectivism from the gene＇s perspective.