Abstract
Mottainai is Japanese concept indicating feelings of regret when objects have not been properly used or have been wasted. This study examined how feeling mottainai induces change in cognition, affect, and behavior. In Study 1, undergraduate students (n=171) responded to a questionnaire, measuring mottainai emotions through two means; responses to five fictitious mottainai situations, and self-reports of personal experiences in which they felt mottainai. Results of both measures indicated that mottainai emotions motivate individuals to avoid feeling mottainai again should they be given a second chance at similar situations. Studies 2 and 3 extended the findings of Study 1 through an experiment measuring actual behavior. In Study 2, we regarded mottainai as an affective trait of an individual, and found that those who feel more mottainai about wasting resources, and failing to reuse/recycle, were less likely to leave leftovers (n=42). In Study 3, mottainai emotional states were experimentally induced, but this did not lead to any difference in how much leftovers the participants (n=45) left. In Study 4, we looked at both mottainai trait and state factors, and found that the two covary to reduce the amount of leftovers (n=42).
