| Research Abstract |
In the current research project, we have carried out a series of theoretical and empirical studies on "Reciprocity of sympathy : Construction of Japanese selves". In a preceding project on Japanese self, we pointed out, first, that one significant aspect of Japanese selves is grounded in an assortment of interpersonal practices that involve sympathy and, second, that some self-related processes such as self-criticism that are relatively unique to Japan and other East Asian cultures can be better understood by taking such cultural practices into consideration. Drawing on this work, the current project contributed to a further understanding of "Japanese selves". Specifically, we pointed out that self-construals such as independence and interdependence may best be seen as solidly grounded in interpersonal processes. In this way it has become possible to develop a fuller theoretical framework for cultural variations in the self. We subsequently applied such a theoretical framework to subjective well-being and reviewed existent evidence. Drawing on a similar theoretical framework, we have also conducted empirical studies. Specifically, we examined emotional experience of both Japanese and Americans with a diary method. Further, we proposed that there are two routes to happiness one involving subjective assessment of the self and the other involving inter-subjective confirmation of relationship, and empirically tested some implications of this analysis. Finally, we also tested a phenomenon of implicit self-evaluation, which has proved to be a quite important theoretical Component of a theory of culture and self. Overall, these studies underscore the hypothesis that Japanese selves are far more relationship-oriented than American selves. However, they also suggest that this cross-cultural difference of the self is best revealed in measures of on-line processes of cognition, emotion, and behavior rather than in more traditional attitudinal measures.
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