A Cross‐Cultural Study of Preference of Accounts: Relationship Closeness, Harm Severity, and Motives of Account Making¹

Abstract

We presented 174 American and 169 Japanese subjects with scenarios in which an actor unintentionally harmed someone. We asked them to rate the likelihood of each of 6 different account tactics and 3 motives of account making. Collectivists (Japanese) were found, compared with individualists (Americans), to show more preference for the mitigating accounts, such as apologies or excuses, but less the assertive accounts, such as justifications. The collectivists’ mitigating style became distinguished, particularly when the participants were in‐group members; and also gender differences were larger among collectivists than among individualists. Harm severity was an independent and powerful determinant of account choice: The causal analysis of the motives revealed that each account tactic was uniquely motivated, and that its supposed motivational process was quite similar between the two cultural groups.

Predicting Deviant Behavior by Neutralization: Myths and Findings

“…They allow the actor to save face and appear as someone who acts in a consistent and moral way in front of internal and external audiences (Snyder, Higgins, and Stucky 1983). Furthermore they allow the actor to avoid punishment (Itoi, Ohbuchi, and Fukuno 1996) and to mitigate interindividual conflict (Cody and McLaughlin 1990;Schö nbach 1990). Neutralizations, in contrast, enter the cognitive and=or socially interactive stage before individuals show a norm-contradicting behavior.…”

Better late than early: The influence of timing on apology effectiveness

“…Most research on apologies has simply demonstrated their general eVectiveness. A few studies have examined characteristics of an oVense (e.g., oVense severity or oVender responsibility, Bennet & Earwaker, 1994;Itoi, Ohbuchi, & Fukuno, 1996) that can inXuence an apology's eVectiveness. However, most oVenders cannot really alter the facts of a transgression they have already committed, and so they would probably be more interested in knowing what to say, and when and how to say it, once the deed is done.…”

Fairness Perceptions and Experiences of Muslim University Students in Canada

“…Although fairness expectation may be considered a universal value, there are several studies (i.e., Birnbaum-More & Wong, 1995;Itoi, Ohbuchi, & Fukuno, 1996;Leung, 1987;Leung, Bond, Carment, Krishnan, & Liebrand, 1990, Leung & Lind,1986Steiner & Gilliland, 1996;Tata, 2005) which show that people may perceive the fairness level of practices differently and that they may react to unfairness differently in different countries, due to the influence of their cultures. Muslim students are one of the groups who have complained of being targeted for Islamophobia, discrimination, and unfairness.…”