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Self and interpersonal relations in Japan and the U.S.

Research Project

Project/Area Number 07044036
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for international Scientific Research

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
SectionJoint Research
Research Field 教育・社会系心理学
Research InstitutionKyoto University

Principal Investigator

KITAYAMA Shinobu  Kyoto U,Faculty of Integrated Human Studies, Associate Professor, 総合人間学部, 助教授 (20252398)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) マルカス ヘゼル  スタンフォード大学, 心理学部, 教授
KARASAWA Mayumi  Shirayuri College, Faculty of Letters, Lecturer, 文学部, 助手 (60255940)
MARKUS Hazel R.  Stanford U., Dept.of psychology, Professor
マルカス ヘーゼル  スタンフォード大学, 心理学部, 教授
杉万 俊夫  京都大学, 総合人間学部, 助教授 (10135642)
Project Period (FY) 1995 – 1997
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 1997)
Budget Amount *help
¥3,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,500,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
Fiscal Year 1996: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000)
Fiscal Year 1995: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000)
KeywordsSelf / Culture / Japan-U.S.comparison / interpersonal / conversation / social-cognition / speech intent / self-improvement & self criticism / 発話意図 / 文化心理学 / 会話分析
Research Abstract

In this research project, we cried out a series of Japan-United States comparative studies with a focus on mutually constitutive relationships between self-concepts and patterns of interpersonal relationships, Three major theoretical and empirical findings have emerged. (l) We examined patterns of conversations among acquaintances in Japan and the United States, and found that the frequency of positive comments on the conversation partner is much higher than that of negative comments on the partner in the United States, but this trend is very much attenuated in Japan and further ; American Iisteners tend to infer the real intentionin the positively toned comments, but Japanese tend to infer it in the negatively toned comments. (2) In a series of analyzes of self-concepts an perceived expectations by significant others, we found that the self of Americans tends to contain many more positive attributes than negative ones and, further, they perceive them to be corresponding to the high ex … More pectations by the significant others. By contrast, the self of Japanese is much less positive in content and, further, Japanese tend to perceive a considerable gap between their selves and the high expectations on them by the significant others. These two points demonstrate the robustness of previous findings on self - enhancing biases in the United States and self-critical biases in Japan and, further, they underscore some of the important social and collective anchors of these psychological tendencies. Finally, (3) after a series of exploratory studies on the processing of conversations, we eventually cried out a cross-cultural experimental study on the processing of emotional speech. In this study we have obtained clear evidence that verbal content has a much high priority of processing than vocal intonation in the United States ; but in Japan vocal information tends to receive a greater priority of processing. This cross-cultural difference in the mode of the processing of emotional speech may reflect one important aspect of the two cultural systems. Thus, in the United States conversations often proceed with an implicit assumption that what is said is what is meant, whereas in Japan one key assumption in many conversations may involve the idea that what is meant is often never said.Moreover, the current finding suggests that many methods of self studies that involve the heavy use of verbal information may be more valid when used in European American cultures than when adopted in Japan, thus inviting further explorations of self and related issues of cultural, social, and developmental psychology with alternative methods that rely less on verbal information. Less

Report

(4 results)
  • 1997 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 1996 Annual Research Report
  • 1995 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (20 results)

All Other

All Publications (20 results)

  • [Publications] Kitayama: "Implicit self-esteem in Japan:Name letters and birthday numbers." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 23. 736-742 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1997 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kitayama: "Individual and collective processes in the construction of the Self: self-enhancement in the United States and self-criticism in Japan." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 72. 1245-1267 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1997 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Markus: "The cultural psychology of personality" Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 29. 63-87 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1997 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 柏木: "文化心理学:理論と実証" 東京大学出版会, 328 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1997 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 北山: "自己と感情:文化心理学による問いかけ" 共立出版, 228 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1997 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kitayama, S., & Karasawa, M.: "Implicit self-esteem in Japan : Name letters and birthday numbers." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 23. 736-742 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1997 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kitayama, S., Markus, H.R., Matsumoto, H., Noras4ult, v.: "Individual and collective processes in the construction of the self : Self-enhancement in the United States and self-criticism in Japan" Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.72. 1245-1267 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1997 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Markus, H.R., & Kitayama, S: "The cultural psychology of personality" Journal of Cross-cultural psychology. 29. 63-87 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1997 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kashiwagi, K., Kitayama, S., & Azuma, H.: Cultural psychology : Theory and research. University of Tokyo Press, 328 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1997 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kitayama, S.: Cultural psychology of self and emotion. Kyoritsu Syppan, 228 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1997 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kitayama: "Implicit self-esteem in Japan:Name letters and birthday numbers." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 23. 736-742 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Kitayama: "Individual and collective processes in the construction of the self:Self-enhancement in the United States and self-criticism in Japan." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 72. 1245-1267 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Markus: "The cultural psychology of personality" Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 29. 63-87 (1998)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 柏木: "文化心理学:理論と実証" 東京大学出版会, 328 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 北山: "自己と感情:文化心理學による問いかけ" 共立出版, 228 (1998)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 北山忍・唐澤真弓: "感情の文化心理学" 児童心理学の進歩. 35. 271-301 (1996)

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Kitayama,S.& Karasawa,M.: "Implicit self-esteem in Japan:Name letters and birthday numbers" Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. (印刷中).

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Kitayama,S.et.al.: "Individual and Collective Processes in the construction of the self:Self-enhancement in US and self criticism in Japan" Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (印刷中).

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Kitayama,S.,& Masuda,T: "Reappraising cognitive appraisal from a cultural perspective" Psychological Inquiry. 6. 221-223 (1995)

    • Related Report
      1995 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 北山・唐澤: "自己:文化心理学的視座" 実験社会心理学研究. (印刷中).

    • Related Report
      1995 Annual Research Report

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Published: 1995-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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