The present study investigated the relation between socioeconomic status (SES) and prosocial behavior differentiated by target (toward family, friends, and strangers) in Japanese lower secondary school students. The indirect effects through prosocial motivation (autonomous and controlled regulation) were also examined. The data were collected through an online questionnaire and included 996 participants aged 12－15 years (mean age = 13.14, standard deviation = 0.91). Correlation analysis demonstrated that SES correlated negatively with prosocial behavior. Using structural equation modeling, the mediation model revealed a significant indirect effect of SES on prosocial behavior toward all targets through autonomous regulation. This study is expected to serve as a basis for SES study in Japan and an implication for a teacher to consider in school education about prosocial behavior.

The two studies examined the effects of exposure to a romantic fairy tale on women’s pragmatic love styles and their benefactor interests. Female college students read either Cinderella or Helen Keller stories. The control group read no story. The results showed that the Cinderella group significantly increased their benefactor interests as well as their indirect power aspirations, including indirectly seeking economic rewards and social prestige from their romantic male partners, compared to the Helen Keller group. The Cinderella group also estimated that their future spouse would have a higher income than the Helen Keller group. In conclusion, women’s pragmatic love style could be socialized or cultivated within the social structure, including the media. Therefore, women’s pragmatic love style, as well as their benefactor interests, may vary according to possible changes in the future of Japan’s social structure, including the structure of the gender gap and the media.

Characters are essential factors in narratives. Several recent studies have suggested that sharing a perspective with a character in a narrative plays a critical role in narrative production. However, it remains unclear how information about a character influences the writers’ cognitive processes. This research focused on fictional character generation and investigated whether the relationship between the writer and character influences the perceived difficulty of character generation. The present study was based on reader-protagonist interaction research on narrative comprehension. Participants were asked to generate an extroverted or introverted character and describe the character’s personality traits (e.g., their hobbies, treasured possessions, etc.) and rate the perceived difficulty of character generation. The results showed that, in particular, the participants with low extroversion felt it was easier to generate an introverted character rather than an extroverted character. This suggests that writers performed a mental simulation of the characters; therefore, the relationship between writer and character plays a significant role in character generation.

The purpose of this study was to develop a Japanese version of the AARC-10 SF and to examine its reliability and validity. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on 898 valid respondents, and a two-factor structure (gains and losses) was confirmed. Multigroup structural equation modeling supported the partial metric invariance model for age groups and the factorial covariance invariance model for gender and education. Correlations with the validity scales showed generally the same pattern as in the original version. Furthermore, hierarchical multiple regression analysis confirmed that gains and losses measured new constructs different from the attitude toward aging and subjective age. These results indicate that the Japanese version of the AARC-10 SF is as reliable and valid as the original version.

In Western food culture, chocolate is the most frequently craved food. Given the risks associated with excessive consumption, an appropriate assessment scale for chocolate craving is needed, but a Japanese translation of the Attitudes to Chocolate Questionnaire (ACQ) does not yet exist. We developed a Japanese version of the ACQ and examined its validity and reliability. An online survey of 630 adults (272 men and 358 women, mean age 38.94 years) was administered. Further, an additional survey of 88 adults (47 men and 41 women) was conducted to assess the test-retest reliability. The results reveal that the Japanese version of the ACQ has a two-factor structure, as indicated by previous studies, and high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. These results suggest that the Japanese version of the ACQ has the same characteristics as the original, German, and Dutch versions, and is a valid and reliable scale to assess chocolate craving.

The perception of being unsafe leads to stress and negative outcomes. Measuring the perception of safety is important for investigating the influences of safety-related issues; however, no scale has been developed that comprehensively measures the perception of safety. The present study aimed to develop the Perception of Safety Scale and investigate its reliability and validity. I developed items based on free descriptions in a preliminary survey, and selected items based on exploratory factor analyses in Study 1. Consequently, I extracted eight factors. In Study 2, I confirmed the factor structure from Study 1 and tested its test-retest reliability. I confirmed that the bi-factor model is a better fit, and all factors showed sufficient test-retest reliability. In Study 3, I investigated the concurrent and construct validity. Almost all hypothesized correlations were significant and greater than the medium effect size; hence the concurrent and construct validity were confirmed. Although there are limitations to the robustness of the acceptance from others factor, the present study showed that the Perception of Safety Scale has sufficient reliability and validity.

In qualitative data analysis, comprehensive knowledge collection is considered important, and the degree of saturation serves as one of the indicators. The Zipf distribution method can be used for the quantitative estimation of the degree of saturation in question-and-answer format qualitative data. However, this method may overestimate the degree of saturation. To address this issue, this paper proposes a new approach using the approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) method, which reduces the bias in saturation estimation. Furthermore, through simulations, we compared the bias between this new estimation method and the existing one, demonstrating that the estimation using the ABC method has a higher accuracy. Moreover, we compared the differences and similarities between the two methods through case studies in practical operational settings.

In recent years, the role of parents and guardians in managing bullying among children has been attracting attention. The purpose of this study was to develop a bullying prevention program for parents and to examine if the program would change parental self-efficacy for managing bullying among children. In Study 1, a questionnaire was administered to 724 parents with elementary and junior high school students, and a “Parent’s Knowledge of Bullying scale” and a “Parent Bullying Self-Efficacy scale” were developed. The reliability and validity of the two scales were confirmed in Study 1. Based on the results of Study 1, in Study 2, a bullying prevention program for parents was developed, and the effectiveness was examined with 47 parents with elementary school-aged children. The results of Study 2 showed that the program had an effect on increasing parental self-efficacy to manage bullying. These results discuss the importance of a parent bullying prevention program.

In this study, we examined whether the name-liking measure, which measures the degree of liking of one’s own name, can be used as an indicator of implicit self-esteem in Japan. In six studies, 796 participants completed two self-esteem Implicit Association Tests (one IAT used general stimulus words, while the other used the participants’ own names as stimuli), the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, the Name-Letter Task (NLT), and name-liking measure. Meta-analysis showed that name-liking was positively correlated with the Rosenberg self-esteem scale and NLT but not significantly correlated with either of self-esteem IATs. The positive partial correlation between name-liking and NLT was also significant while controlling for the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. These results suggest that name-liking may measure a certain aspect of implicit self-esteem as well as explicit self-esteem.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of the effects of chewing gum on selective attention. A meta-analysis was conducted for each task (Flanker task, Stroop task, and Simon task) to evaluate selective attention, and the differences in the effects of chewing gum depending on the task format were also examined. The results confirmed a significant weak mean effect size for the fixed effect models in the analysis for the entire paper. However, because of significant heterogeneity across studies, we focused on the differences in task format and conducted a meta-analysis for each task assessing selective attention function. The results showed that there were no significant mean effect sizes in the fixed and random effect models for the Flanker and Stroop tasks. Meanwhile, significant mean effect sizes were found in the Simon task for both of the models. In conclusion, we can say that chewing gum has an effect of reducing the compatibility effect in the late phase of selective attention, especially when involving response selection.

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human-like mental states to nonhuman entities. The purpose of this study was to develop a Japanese version of the Individual Differences in Anthropomorphism Questionnaire (IDAQ-J) and to examine its factor structure, reliability, and validity through three studies. Factor analysis revealed that the IDAQ-J has three first-order factors (anthropomorphizing natural entities, technological devices, and nonhuman animals) and one second-order factor (general anthropomorphism). The IDAQ-J showed high internal consistency and moderate test-retest reliability. In terms of validity, the IDAQ-J showed moderate positive correlations with anthropomorphism of nature and machines, and predicted low negative emotions about interacting with robots and teleological beliefs. On the other hand, the IDAQ-J showed weak relationships with anthropomorphism of nonhuman animals, attitudes toward nature conservation, and fear of robots. Further research is needed to interpret the validity of the IDAQ-J.

Workers’ productivity is affected not only by their mental and physical health but also by various other factors. However, many existing scales use the point of view of absenteeism. In this article, we developed the Subjective Productivity Scale (SPS), which measures the state of high productivity of workers from various factors. In Study 1, we organized the state of high productivity of workers using a bottom-up method. In Study 2, we developed the SPS. In Study 3, we verified its reliability and validity. Each of the SPS subscales was associated with work performance rather than absenteeism, suggesting that SPS measures a worker’s productivity on the basis of an approach that differs from existing scales. In addition, because individuals with high productivity have been shown to also experience negative states, the state of higher productivity needs to be understood from multiple perspectives.

The significance of measuring children’s well-being has gained prominence in recent years. In Japan, developing self-report scales for children is necessary to address various social problems. This study aimed to develop a scale for measuring children’s well-being and examine its reliability and validity. First, the scale items were created using descriptions provided by fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students. An exploratory factor analysis subsequently revealed that the well-being scale for children comprised three factors and 12 items. Finally, the results from confirmatory factor analysis and correlation analysis with the related concepts of mental health, self-esteem, and social support indicated the scale’s validity.

This study developed and validated a scale to measure motivation to wear masks as a preventive behavior against COVID-19. An online survey of Japanese adults was conducted in February 2023, with 747 participants in the subsequent data analysis. As evidence of the structural aspect of construct validity, exploratory factor analysis revealed that the Motivation for Mask-wearing Scale consisted of three factors: prosocial motivation, self-interested focus motivation, and wearing a mask out of concern for others’ criticism. Each subscale was highly reliable. As evidence of the external aspect of construct validity, a partial correlation analysis indicated that prosocial motivation to wear a mask was positively associated with trait prosociality and subjective well-being. Results also indicated that wearing a mask out of concern for others’ criticism was positively associated with fear of negative evaluation and positively associated with positive and negative affect. Self-interested focus motivation to wear a mask was positively associated with fear of negative evaluation and negatively associated with positive affect. These results demonstrate the structural and external validity of the Motivation for Mask-wearing Scale.

Executive functions are a broad category of cognitive processes that coordinate and control brain functions to achieve a goal. Several psychological symptoms, such as depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), are known to be associated with executive dysfunctions. Thus, evaluating executive functions is becoming a core component of neuropsychological assessment, and rating scales for evaluating such functions in the everyday context are ecologically valid measures. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) is a well-standardized and the most commonly used measure. This study explores the psychometric property of the adult version of the BRIEF (BRIEF-A) for a Japanese population. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 552 community-residing Japanese aged 20–29 years. The results of confirmatory factor analysis suggested a satisfactory fit for the proposed three-factor model, and internal consistency was sufficiently high. To investigate convergent and divergent validity, we examined correlations with two existing questionnaires and compared the scores between groups with more or less AD/HD-related symptoms. The findings indicate that BRIEF-A demonstrates sufficient reliability and validity in the Japanese sample during early adulthood.

This study examined a curvilinear relationship between grit and performance in Japanese university student athletes, in two parts. In Study 1, a cross-sectional survey was administered to 205 university student athletes. Multiple regression analysis was carried out, and the results revealed an inverse U-shaped curvilinear relationship between perseverance of effort and decline in performance. In Study 2, a longitudinal survey was conducted on 99 university student athletes who also participated in Study 1. Multiple regression analysis showed that there was no significant relationship between grit and decline in performance; however, considering the confidence intervals and effect size, there was a U-shaped curvilinear relationship between consistency of interest and decline in performance. These results suggest that there is an inverse, U-shaped curvilinear relationship between perseverance of effort and performance decline cross-sectionally, although further research is needed to clarify the longitudinal relationship between consistency of interest and performance decline.

Enhancing recidivism prevention is hindered by the challenge of mitigating bias against formerly incarcerated individuals in Japan, based on insufficient comprehension. A survey was conducted among residents living near two recently established correctional facilities that prioritize community collaboration (PFI prisons). The study examined the impact of interactions with correctional facilities on residents’ trust in the management system and their receptivity towards formerly incarcerated individuals (analysis participants: N = 1,782). Structural equation modeling showed that contact with prisons increased trust in the correctional system, moderated by residents’ perception and evaluation of community development. The establishment of trust heightened acceptance of formerly incarcerated individuals while reducing prison resistance. The finding suggests that building trust in correctional institutions is essential for improving the public’s understanding and support for the social reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals. Furthermore, the presence of friends and family members who are privately employed or volunteers at the prison was found to foster residents’ perception of community development and the prison’s contribution to it. A collaborative system between government employees and residents served to create extended contact.

This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Coping Behavior with Parental Conflict scale for Adolescents (CBPC-A), as well as to explore the influence of coping mechanisms on interparental conflict, emotional insecurity in the interparental relationship, and adolescents’ adjustment. A questionnaire survey was administered to 132 high school students in Japan. The CBPC-A was found to comprise five higher-order factors: “involvement,” “avoidance,” “distraction,” “support seeking,” and “cognitive construction,” which were deemed to have adequate construct validity. The results of the adjusted mediation analysis suggested that “support seeking” and “distraction” served as protective factors against emotional instability, mitigating the impact of emotional instability on adolescent depression and self-esteem, while “involvement” was identified as a risk factor for the effects of emotional instability on adolescent aggression.

Our sensory functions decline with age. Older people have been reported to compensate for sensory deficits by using auxiliary equipment, medical treatments, and sensory mechanisms such as multimodal integrations. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no systematic surveys research for sensory problems of older people in daily life. Through an online survey, we investigated what kind of sensory problems exist and how these problems were coped with by older people (60─70 years old), with middle-aged people (40─50 years old) data. Frequency and text-mining analyses found that problems of hearing and body movements were reported more frequently for older people due to aging. Visual problems were reported by all age groups and were attributed to aging, but coped with by using auxiliary equipment and medical surgeries in older people. The 50’s age group reported visual problems most frequently. Our findings suggest that sensory problems subjectively felt in daily life are attributed to aging but are not necessarily remarkable in older people.

This study conducted a three-wave panel survey concerning subjective rewards as a factor that inhibits caregiver turnover (T1 [N = 1,087]), T2 [N = 690], and T3 [N = 546]). A longitudinal logistic regression analysis was conducted using the Subjective Rewards Scale for Human Service Professionals (SRS-HS), which uses the five factors of financial, growth, social, interpersonal, and stability as independent variables and the presence or absence of job turnover in the subsequent year as the dependent variable. In addition, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis that categorized turnovers into workplace or occupational turnovers. The regression analysis revealed that turnover among caregivers was prevented by hygiene factors such as financial and stability rewards. Furthermore, stability, interpersonal, and growth rewards, which showed relatively high levels, indicate the positive aspects of caregiver work and should be actively publicized to increase human resources.

Visual perception is not uniform across the visual field, and performance exhibits heterogeneity with spatial location. Such asymmetry has been observed in several tasks, including those mediated by contrast sensitivity, but it has been reported that vertical lines can be detected with constant performance regardless of spatial location. In this study, we investigated the asymmetry of vertical and horizontal lines in space using a temporal segregation task. As a result, horizontal lines showed asymmetry in space, but vertical lines showed no asymmetry. This suggests that exogenous or endogenous attention cannot attenuate asymmetry, but that asymmetry may not occur when information extraction is completed quickly.