Relationship between punitiveness and attributional styles:

A comparison between Japan and Korea

Abstract

This study aims to explore how the relationship between punitiveness and attributional style differs between Japan and Korea. Data from 330 Japanese and 339 Koreans were analyzed. Multi-group structural equation modeling showed that in both Japan and Korea, punitiveness consisted of three factors (support for harsher punishment, greater criminalization, and use of the death penalty) while the attributional style consisted of two factors (dispositional attribution and situational attribution). In both countries, dispositional attribution was related to punitiveness. Regarding differences, the scores for punitiveness on all three subscale scores and for dispositional attribution were higher in Korea whereas the negative relationship between punitiveness subscale scores and situational attribution was stronger in Japan. This suggests that Japanese are less likely to support punitive measures for criminals and to attribute the causes of crime to the criminals themselves than Koreans. In addition, when deciding on the severity of punishment, Japanese are more likely to take situational causes into consideration.