Vol.18,No1 Jan,2003

Title
The effects of social consideration on perceptions of and reactions to Y2K
Author
Tadahiro MOTOYOSHI (Graduate School of Education and Human Development, Nagoya University)
Summary
The aims of this study were to focus on the Y2K issue and to examine the effect of social consideration (the degree to which people perceive themselves as a social entity rather than an individual entity, Yoshida et al., 1999) on perceptions and human behavior regarding this issue. Undergraduates and junior college students (N=254) responded to a set of questionnaires before and after Y2K (2000/1/1). The results were as follows: (1) Although people perceived Y2K-related risks, they didn't take adequate preventive measures against the impending Y2K changes; (2) An optimistic outlook toward Y2K was negatively correlated with the two risk communication factors of information gathering and need for information from experts; (3) People with high Social Consideration had high levels of both information gathering and need for information, and they also took more precautionary measures than did people with low Social Consideration. These results suggest that enhancing social consideration is important in order to make risk communication more successful.
Key words
belief about luck, "strength of luck," situational importance, social comparison, effort
Title
“Strength of luck” and its cognitional background
Author
Koshi MURAKAMI (Faculty of Human Sciences, Osaka University)
Summary
In Japan, the term "strength of luck" (as directly translated from Japanese) commonly refers to a fixed dispositional trait. In order to gain a more concrete understanding of the usage of the term "strength of luck," a questionnaire was designed and survey conducted of subjects to study the belief that some people have "strong luck" and others have "weak luck." The results showed that people who see themselves as having "strong luck" differ from those who see themselves as having "weak luck" in that: 1.They believe that they have many "lucky" experiences and few "unlucky" experiences. 2. Most of these "lucky" experiences occurred in "important situations." There was no difference between people who see themselves as having "strong luck" and those who see themselves as having "weak luck" when the occurrence probability of the event was considered low from the start. 3.They think that their "strength of luck" is correlated with their amount of effort. 4.It was quite rare for them to make social comparisons. On the other hand, according to these results, people who see themselves as having "weak luck" don't necessarily feel they have few successful experiences in daily life, nor did they feel helpless. It was concluded that how one interprets one's own "strength of luck" is based on particular "lucky" and/or "unlucky" experiences.
Key words
parents' child rearing attitudes, children's social skills, social support
Title
Conceptual framework and measurement of adult mother-daughter relationship in Japan -Analysis of women in urban areas-
Author
Izumi MIZUNO-SHIMATANI(Department of Social Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo)
Summary
This paper examined the conceptual framework and measurement of adult mother-daughter relationships in Japan incorporating the intergenerational solidarity theory (McChesney & Bengtson, 1988). Both the conceptual framework and measurement scale were adapted to the unique characteristics of adult mother-daughter relationships in the Japanese socio-cultural context. A survey was administered by mail to a random sample of 800 women (aged 30 and older). Results revealed different characteristics for adult mother-daughter relationships in Japan when compared with those in the United States. For example, affection was composed of the 3 factors of closeness, equality, and conflict, instead of only one factor as in the United States. Patterns of exchange differed deponding on the type of resource, in contrast with one consistent pattern of exchange for all types of resources in the United States. It was also found that the 'Ie' norm prescribed one-way support from daughter to mother. Issues concerning the cultural adaptation of the measurement of adult mother-daughter relationships are discussed and possible directions of future research are suggested.
Key words
adult mother-daughter relationships in Japan, intergenerational solidarity, affection, exchange, 'Ie' norm
Title
The function of the social support network for caregivers: Family, Friends, neighbors and professionals
Author
Tomoko TANAKA (Faculty of Literature, Okayama University)
Yoshimi HYODO (Faculty of Medicine, Okayama University)
Koji TANAKA (Faculty of Education, Okayama University)
Summary
This study analyzed 251 completed questionnaires concerning the social support network of caregivers for elderly family members. The hierarchy of social support resources was assumed to be in the order of co-resident family members, non-resident family members, friends, and neighbors to professional caregivers. Using the subcategory comparison method showed that a lower member compensates for a higher member's absence for emotional and instrumental support, and thus a hierarchical compensation model was supported. Social support network members conformed to the task specificity model regarding emotional, minor and major instrumental support, companionship, and informational support. Further, for companionship and informational support, particular resources indicated that compensation depends upon task specificity. Therefore, revision of the hierarchical compensation model is suggested. Caregiver levels of life satisfaction in case of co-resident family support are than those of non-resident family support. The importance of family support, the possibilities of compensation, and the differences of social support networks that depend on the relationships between caregivers and caretakers, are discussed.
Key words
caregivers, social support network, hierarchical compensation model, mental health, task specificity
Title
Positive illusions in close relationships among college students
Author
Miki TOYAMA (Institute of Psychology, University of Tsukuba)
Summary
The purpose of this study was to investigate positive illusions in close relationships involving romantic partners and friends among college students. Participants were 81 couples in romantic relationships (Study 1) and 67 couples in friendly relationships (Study 2). Results showed that both romantic partners and friends exhibited pronounced positive illusions of their relationships. As for their relationships, it was also shown that both groups evaluated their partners more positively than they evaluated themselves. The more this happened in romantic relationships, the higher were the positive illusions of those romantic relationships. In friendly relationships, people who viewed themselves positively tended to evaluate their relationship more positively.
Key words
positive illusions, romantic relationship, friendly relationship, college students