THE JAPANESE JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Social Relational Foundations of Altruistic Behavior

NOBUYUKI TAKAHASHI, TOSHIO YAMAGISHI

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 1-11
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.1

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This study shows, through a series of computer simulation on the role that altruistic behavior plays in particular social relations, that acting in an altruistic way can bring out outcomes that is beneficial to the actor him/herself. The present study specifically focuses on the individual-to-individual kind of altruistic behavior, not on the individual-to-collectivity type. It was shown that “downward OFT” strategy with a moderate level of others' worth, when this strategy is shared by all group members, promotes altruistic behavior in the group. Specifically, results of computer simulations show the followings: In the situation where group members select the target of their altruistic action on the basis of whether the target him/herself acted altruistically in the past, ones who act altruistically toward more people do receive more benefit from others than those who did not act so altruistically.

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An Effect of Internal Incentives to Task Performance on Social Loafing

TERUYOSHI KOKUBO

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 12-19
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.12

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Brickner, Harkins & Ostrom (1986) demonstrated that personal involvement in the task content diminishes the social loafing. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of personal involvement in task performance on the elimination of social loafing. A hundred and eighty male students worked on a simple paper folding task under conditons of low or high identifiability and control, internal or internal-external task incentive. The results demonstrate that social loafing is not diminished in both of the task incentive conditions. The findings are discussed in relation to the nature of internal task incentives.

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How Do Victims Become Less Aware for a Danger of Natural Disaster

The Case of the 1982 Nagasaki Flood

KATSUYA YAMORI

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 20-31
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.20

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How do victims become less aware for a danger of natural disaster? How can we trace this fading out process? Quantitative newspaper analysis is useful for this purpose because newspaper content and reader attitudes fluctuate in approximate unison. We surveyed and collected all articles on the 1982 Nagasaki Flood published in Nagasaki-Shinbun, a local newspaper in Nagasaki area, during the first decade after the flood. We measured the size of each article and obtained the monthly total which was used as an index of readers'readiness for the disaster. The analysis showed that the total size decreased exponentially. This result was attributed not only to their increasing indifference but also to the formation of collective representation about the event.

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The Effects of Support Provided by a Friend on Stress Reactions

TAKASHI SUGANUMA, KAZUNORI KOJO, MANABU MATSUZAKI, TOKUMI UENO, YOSHIF ...

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 32-41
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.32

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The present study examined the effects of support provided by a friend and evaluation apprehension on physiological, cognitive, and behavioral stress reactions. A 2 (provided support vs. not-provided) ×2 (evaluation apprehension vs. non-apprehension) factorial design was used. Seventy-nine undergraduate students as subjects participated in the experiment with their friends. Each friend in the support provision condition provided supports spontaneously and according to the subject's demands during the subject's task (ana-grams) performance, while in the other condition, the friend did not provide any support. In the evaluation apprehension condition, the friend was able to observe the subject performing tasks. Mean blood pressure (MBP), cognitive interference, and correct anagrams were adopted as dependent variables. The results in-dicated that those subjects who were provided support by their friends showed significantly lower MBP than those who were not provided support in the non-evaluation apprehension condition, while there was no difference between support provision and non-provision in the apprehension condition. It was suggested that support provided by friends without evaluation apprehension had buffering effects against stress.

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The Relationship between Organizational Elements and Achievement Motivation in Sport Team

YASUHIKO HIGUCHI

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 42-55
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.42

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In this study we investigated the relationship between organizational elements and achievement motivation of sport team members. Female undergraduates of lacrosse teams were selected as subjects, and these data were collected by means of questionnaires.
As organizational elements seemed to affect achievement motivation of members, organizational climate, public system of organization, satisfaction with teammates and leadership of captain were selected.
Subsequently to measure achievement motivation we constructed the items in accordance with the theory that insist achievement motivation is multidimensional, and as the result of factor analysis identified three factors: (1) “self-improvement”, (2) “the action”, (3) “initiative”.
As the result of anlysis in regard to the relationship between organizational elements and achievement motivation, the following results were obtained:
1. Organizational climate of “free communication” and “acceptance of innovation” were closely related to high achievement motivation toward “self-improvement” of members.
2. Satisfaction with teammates was closely related to high achievement motivation toward “the action” and low achievement motivation toward “initiative” of members.

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Distrusting Outsiders as a Consequence of Commitment Formation

TOHKO KIYONARI, TOSHIO YAMAGISHI

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 56-67
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.56

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It was predicted, based on Yamagishi's (1995) “emancipation theory of trust, ” (1) that the mere exposure to social uncertainty would increase subject's distrust of “outsiders, ” and (2) that the distrust of “outsiders”would be stronger among those who have formed a commitment relationship with another participant than among those who have not. The results of an experiment conducted both in Japan and the United States successfully confirmed these two predictions. These results imply a mutually reinforcing relationship between commitment formed as a means to reduce social uncertainty and distrust of “outsiders. ” Further implications of these findings on the contemporary Japanese society are discussed.

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Reverse Discrimination in Japan: Commonsense Knowledge and Practical

Reasoning Used by People Living near “Buraku”Areas

KEI MASUDA

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 68-78
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: August 24, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.68

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Discrimination against“buraku”areas and the minority people who are born or live in them has been a major problem in Japan. In the 1960s, the Japanese government announced a long-term plan to solve the buraku problem. Some of the solutions have complicated the problem. Non-buraku citizens have sensed reverse discrimination from administrative measures aimed at improving the quality of life in buraku areas. The present study investigated the reasoning that non-buraku citizens living and working near buraku areas use when they complain of reverse discrimination.
Interviews were carried out with four elementary or junior high school teachers working in schools in which pupils from buraku areas were enrolled, and also with four housewives living near buraku areas. Responses indicated that: (a) complaints revolved around practical issues related to everyday life, (b) nonburaku citizens whose economic status was low complained more about reverse discrimination than did wealthier citizens; their remarks reflected widespread beliefs and prejudices that keep people from addressing the buraku issue, and (c) complaints were often justified by“self-righteous reasoning” (e. g., ‘everyone should be treated equally’ and ‘people should not rely on other people's help too readily’).

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An Investigation on Positive Aspects of Power Motive in Childhood

MIDORI HORINO

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 79-88
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.79

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The purposes of this study were to investigate the positive aspects of power motive (McClelland, 1975) by developing the children's power motive scale, and to examining the hypothesis that social support from family and friends are likely to draw positive aspect of power motive. Fouth (10 years old) -, fifth (11 years old), and sixth-grade (12 years old) children completed the questionnaire of power motive scale twice at their elementary school. The results showed the high reliablity and validity of the children's power motive scale. Moreover, it was found that the social support from family or friends increased the children's feeling of adjustment to school positively.

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A Structural Model of Work Group Commitment and Its Determinants

A Case of the Employees of a Department Store

CHIAKI ASAI

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 89-102
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.89

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This study examined the hypothesis that job environmental characteristics would be indirectly related to group commitment by means of three expectancies (intrinsic, interpersonal, and economic). A structural model was developed on this hypothesis and tested by using covariance structure analysis with data obtained from 143 employees of a department store. The results indicated that job variety, group cohesiveness, and performance appraisal were indirectly related to group commitment by means of expectancies, but job autonomy, role clarity, and leadership were not related to either group commitment or expectancies. Moreover, performance appraisal had both a indirect positive relationship by means of economic expectancy and a direct negative relationship to group commitment. Limitations of the study are discussed.

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Subconscious Japanese Sexism as Seen in Content Analysis of English Textbooks

TOMOKO I. SAKITA

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 103-113
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.103

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It is hypothesized that foreign language texts will strongly reflect the prejudices of a society, because texts which violate their learners' expectations will be difficult to understand, and hinder foreign language acquisition. For this reason, authors and editors of foreign language texts are likely to reflect learners' cultural sexist prejudices in their materials. This article explores the sexism deeply ingrained in the subconscious of Japanese people and society, by a content analysis of ten currently used Japanese English textbooks. Nine categories were surveyed: (1) the numbers of women and men in stories; (2) the numbers of women and men in exercises and model sentences; (3) the gender of pronouns used for animals; (4) the number of women and men shown in various occupations; (5) photographs and illustrations; (6) adjectives; (7) activities and topics; (8) other gender imbalances; (9) original years when the stories were written. In every numerical category, the results of this study show that sexism flourishes in Japanese English textbooks. This sexism in the textbooks is found to mirror Japanese cultural prejudices.

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Sex differences on leadership processes: A review

KIRIKO SAKATA

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 114-130
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.114

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This paper reviews current research on differences between the sexes in leadership processes. It identifies the important factors that explain these differences, and suggests points to be clarified in the future. The leadership process on which focus was placed includes the (1) leader role acquisition process, (2) styles of leadership and influence strategies, and (3) leadership effectiveness. The following have been suggested from knowledge inside and outside Japan. In particular, the main three factors that determine whether the differences between the sexes are generated in the leadership process are the gender congeniality of the leader role, the make up of an organization by gender, and the organizational climate. This also includes the factor that determines whether the differences between the sexes are generated in the leader role acquisition process. This research proposed that the position visibility of the leader should be considered. Finally, it also proposed a hypothetical model that explains how these main factors determine the differences between the sexes in the leadership process.

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A Review of Research on Persuasive Communication: Studies with Elementary School Children

HIROMI FUKADA, KOHTARO HARADA, ITSUHIRO KIMURA, YUJI TSUBOTA, HUEY JOU ...

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 131-141
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.131

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Studies on persuasive communication which employed elementary school children as receivers or senders were reviewed.
First, studies where children were only 'receivers' of communication were discussed. The following attributes were found to be problems of interest in previous studies; 1) topic, 2) control group method, 3) message, 4) receiver's age, 5) gender and individual differences, 6) communicator, 7) media, 8) indicator of the persuasion-effect, and 9) persuasion and modeling effect. Most notably, on the factor of 3) message, the tendency that persuasive appeals which cause reactance have small persuasive effect, and that appeals which arouse strong fear have large effect, was found commonly throughout the studies. Other factors did not show any remarkable common tendencies.
Secondly, studies where children were only 'senders' of communication were discussed. Most studies in this field aimed to clarify children's development in producing persuasive messages. Therefore, sender's 1) age, 2) communication-skill, and 3) other factors were discussed in relation to the produced message. As a conclusion, a major dependent variable, variability of message production, was related to age, and this relation was often discussed in relation to the role taking ability of the sender. One limitation of the use of hypothetical method, was also pointed out.
Finally, as for study of receiver, while persuasion itself can be said to be an effective method for children's attitudinal or behavioral change, more systematic research is required. As for study on sender, it was suggested that variability of message production, and the process of its selection and use should be investigated in future studies.

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Group Dynamics and Conversation as Data

The Problems

TOMOHIDE ATSUMI

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 142-147
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.142

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This study introduces the background ideas for this special issue of “Conversation as Data. ” First, it summarizes why group dynamicists should pay attention to the conversation data. It describes the fact that psychologists have assumed the existence of mind within each individual so that they did not attempt to theorize collective conducts such as conversation. It points out the problems in this trend of research and theoretically upholds future group dynamics. Second, the analysis goes on to the potential theoretical and methodological problems faced by the future group dynamics when the area turns itself into dealing with conversation as data.

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The Tasks and Methods of Conversation Analysis

SHIRO KASHIMURA

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 148-159
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.148

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“Conversation Amalysis” (CA) consists of various methods of distinguishing and formulating the natural“orderliness”of ongoing actual conversation, where the features of“orderliness”are member's products as well as resources available“in situ”for the conversants themselves. Included in this“orderliness”of natural conversations are such phenomena as; the conversational“turns”, the units for constructing turns, the interpretation of a turn by the following turns, the maintainance and management of“turn expansion”, the techniques and rules for allocating turns among conversants, the machanisms for controlling sequential organization of related turns (such as“adjacency pairs”), the institutionally characteristic“shapes”of turns and turn-sequences. The present paper tries to explicate the basic concepts of CA and its techniques by (1) examining its methodological foundation, (2) examining an instance of actual conversation, being taperecorded in the course of an ethnographical fieldwork, where the ethnographer-interviewer observably utilizes both everyday and professional techiniques for doing conversation. The paper concludes that by adopting CA approach the multicple layers of conversational meanings and techniques, everyday and institutional, are made available for rigorous technical analysis.

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An Analysis of E-mail-based Communication and Collaboration

EIJI KUWANA, YASUHISA SAKAMOTO

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 160-169
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.160

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In recent years, whatever organization one looks at, it begun to be more common to see work being accomplished by teams and groups than to see people working individually. To support group works, many types of computer supported systems, communication systems and related technologies, known as Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) in computer science, have been studied. For design of CSCW tools, we think that we should understand nature of group work and relationship between group work and technology, such as what the group needs to do and what the group can do. In this paper, we describe email-based communication analysis in order to understand nature of group work and relations with CSCW tools. First, we show Argument Structure-based group communication analysis. Second, we show the real group task (about two months decision making tasks) analysis by argument structure, and also describe how these group communication analysis will be used for the design of CSCW tools.

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The Existence of the Past on Conversation

An Analysis of Conversation about the Past Status of Emotion

KEISUKE MATSUSHIMA

1996 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 170-177
Published: June 30, 1996
Released on J-STAGE: June 04, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2130/jjesp.36.170

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In principle, other's past status of emotion is unknowable. In this paper, how we understand other's past status of emotion in conversation was discussed. Two types of conversation-idle talk and conversations in a criminal trial-were analyzed. Protocol-analysis revealed that during idle talk, other's past status of emotion was tried to be understood through “consenting”. By contrast, conversations in a criminal trial, other's past status of emotion was tried to be understood through “verifying”. It was suggested that in a criminal trial, the activity of “verifying”other's past status of emotion sometimes interfered with remembering the past status of emotion, and spoiled the existence of the past.

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