The Role of Narcissism and Face Concerns in Providing Comforting Messages: A Cross-Cultural Comparison between Japan and the United States

Abstract

This study investigated how, in the national cultures of Japan and the United States, narcissism and face concerns affected the provision of comforting messages to an upset friend. This research drew on Burleson’s extensive program of research on comforting communication and used three different scenarios to test individuals’ comforting behavior. The results showed both cultural similarities and differences in the process of comforting communication. Cultural similarities were found in the relationships among narcissism, face concerns, and comforting messages. Participants of both cultural groups showed that a narcissistic personality negatively affected mutual-face concerns, which were a positive predictor to providing higher person-centered (i.e., explicit and elaborated) comforting messages. On the other hand, cultural differences were found in the level of providing comforting messages. Japanese participants generally tended to provide lower person-centered comforting messages than U.S. Americans. Perhaps the process of providing highly person-centered messages may be culture-general, and individual and relational factors may play a more significant role than cultures, but national cultures may affect the degree of person-centeredness of comforting messages.