NCJ Number
140830
Journal
International Journal of Psychology Volume: 27 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1992) Pages: 195-210
Date Published
1992
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study compares conflict-resolution procedures in two collectivist societies: Spain and Japan.
Abstract
Previous research has shown that harmony-enhancing procedures for conflict resolution are endorsed more in collectivist than in individualist societies; whereas, the reverse is true for confrontational procedures. This result is derived from comparing Western with Eastern societies, however, posing the possibility that it may be caused by a variety of East-West differences other than collectivism and individualism. To resolve this ambiguity and to extend the generality of this finding, this study compared the conflict-resolution procedures of a collectivist society from Europe (Spain) and from Asia (Japan). Consistent with the individualism-collectivism framework, results indicate that the procedural preferences for conflict resolution in these two cultures are similar. Findings also indicate that expectancies based on process control and animosity- reduction were culture-general predictors of procedural preference and that valences based on these variables yielded little additional variance over and above the expectancy variables. Expectancies based on fairness and favorableness were found to be culture-specific, as were their relationships with procedural preferences. Results also imply that cultural femininity is not related to procedural preferences. Implications of these results for the development of a universal theory of procedural preference are discussed. 4 tables, 20 references, and an article abstract in French