Are Compassionate and Self-Image Goals Comparable across Cultures?

Abstract

This study tested whether compassionate goals to support others and self-image goals to maintain and defend desired self-images: 1) are equivalent constructs across three cultures (U.S., Japan, Poland); 2) overlap with interdependent self-construal; and 3) predict relationships and growth measures similarly in each country. We re-analyzed data from American (n = 130) and Japanese (n = 203) students, reported in Niiya et al. (2013), along with new data from Poland (n = 246). Single and multiple group confirmatory analyses showed that the two-factor structure holds across the three cultures. Interdependence correlated with compassionate and self-image goals only in Japan. In all three samples, compassionate goals correlated with non-zero-sum belief, feeling close, growth-seeking, self-compassion, and learning from failures, whereas self-image goals correlated with defensive responses to conflicts and validation-seeking. Our results suggest that compassionate and self-image goals may serve similar functions in relationships and growth across cultures.

Interdependent = Compassionate? Compassionate and Self-Image Goals and Their Relationships With Interdependence in the United States and Japan

“…This research also contributed to the establishment of a compassionate and self-image goals scale that shows measurement invariance across the United States and Japan. This new scale represents an improvement over existing scales, which also showed measurement invariance in the United States and Japan (Niiya et al, 2013) and in Poland (Kuncewicz et al, 2015), on four grounds: First, in contrast to previous scales which did not make a clear distinction between competent and likable self-image goals, the new scale distinguishes likable vs. competent self-image goals. This distinction may be important in future cross-cultural research aiming to understand how culture moderates the influence of self-image goals in shaping relationships and well-being, especially because likable self-image goals may be more central to collectivistic cultures and competent self-image goals more central to individualistic cultures.…”

“…Because “fitting in” is an important goal for those with an interdependent self (Markus and Kitayama, 2010), people with an interdependent self might seek acceptance from others by showing desirable aspects of themselves; that is, they might have self-image goals. However, support for this idea is mixed: Interdependence, as measured by a modified Singelis scale, was positively but only weakly correlated with self-image goals among Japanese undergraduates (0.14) and adults (0.19; Niiya et al, 2013), and not significantly correlated among American (0.08; Niiya et al, 2013) and Polish undergraduates (-0.01; Kuncewicz et al, 2015). In contrast, the Japanese self-image goals scale (Niiya, 2016) showed a stronger positive correlation with both subscales of Takata’s (2000) interdependence (0.54 with affinity for others and 0.51 with evaluation apprehension) among the Japanese adults.…”

“…Compassionate goals were positively and moderately correlated with interdependence as measured by a modified Singelis scale in Japanese undergraduate (0.38) and adult samples (0.32), and not correlated among American undergraduates (-0.08; Niiya et al, 2013). Compassionate goals also showed a weak positive correlation (0.11) with interdependence in Poland (Kuncewicz et al, 2015). The Japanese compassionate goals scale (Niiya, 2016) showed a moderate positive correlation with Takata’s (2000) measure of interdependence (0.31), a slightly stronger correlation with the affinity for others subscale (0.42) and a weaker positive correlation with the evaluation apprehension subscale (0.13).…”

The impact of thinking about supportive relationships on interpersonal defensiveness. Does it matter who thinks, about whom, and in what way?

“…Even for insecurely attached people this sort of experience can probably increase the sense of hope (see Cheavens, Feldman, Woodward, & Snyder, 2006) or other positive feelings promoting interpersonal contacts (see Crocker, 2008). Kuncewicz, Niiya, and Crocker (2015) proved that ego-and ecosystem motivations are equivalent constructs in the U.S., Japan, and Poland and have similar implications for several aspects of relationships and growth regardless of cultural context. The pancultural nature of both constructs supports the legitimacy of including them in research conducted also in our country.…”