Self-stationing motive : Field dependence of the Japanese self and the function of uncertainty of selfhood

2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 12610148
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 教育・社会系心理学
• Research Institution: TOKYO GAKUGEI UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: SUGIMORI Shinkichi Tokyo Gakugei University, Department of Education, Associate Professor, 教育学部・心理学科, 助教授 (60266541)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KITAYAMA Shinoobu Kyoto University, Department of Integrated Humanities, Associate Professor, 総合人間学部, 助教授 (20252398)
• Project Period (FY): 2000 – 2002
• Keywords: self-stationing motive / cultural psychology / uncertainly of selfhood / social comparison / Cognitive dissonance

Research Abstract

Self-stationing motive is defined to be a need to find oneself being located in an appropriate place in referent groups. This motive gives a basis for field dependent nature of the Japanese. We have found that cognitive dissonance appears strongly when a difference of opinion or taste with ingroup members is revealed. And when one's status reveals to be lower than he/she had expected, strong sense of uncertainty of selfhood occurs in mind, and various coping behavior follows. For example, Japanese students with higher uncertainty of selfhood try to compare more with the highest achievers rather than low-achievers. These results are concluded to reflect self stationing motive among the Japanese people.