| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
This research found that Japanese are less likely than Americans to help a stranger because (1) Japanese are less certain that their help is wanted or needed and (2) Japanese have a higher motivation than Americans to avoid appearing incompetent or unlikable. In both the U.S. and Japan, those who were more motivated to support others’ well-being (i.e., those with compassionate goals) were more likely to help a stranger, spent more time helping friends, and were more likely to perceive time as a nonzero-sum resource (i.e., perception that time spent on others is also time spent on oneself). People who perceived time as nonzero-sum achieved more satisfaction from helping friends , experienced less time pressure, and reported higher life satisfaction.
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