Ogihara and Uchida study (socio)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To investigate the relationship between individualistic values, subjective well-being (SWB) and the number of slose relationships in Japan and the USA

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

• sample consisted of 100 students from a japanese university and 60 students fom an american university
• students answered questionnaires related to individualistic and collectivistic orientation, subjective well-being including life satisfaction and the nature of their friendships (sociogram)
• researchers investigated links between scores on questionnaires, individualistic vs collectiist perspective and number of close friends

Question 3

Findings

Answer 3

• in japan, an individualistic orientation negatively affected subjective well-being, wheras a collectivistic orientatoon did not affect subjective well-being (opposite was true in the US)
• in japan, indivuidalistic, orientation was associated with fewer close friends Number of close friends positively predicted subject well-bwing , even after orientation was controlled. In japan, number of close friends mediated effect of an individualisticorientationn on subjective well-being
  - Suggests that people in japan who try to be independent and value individualism will have difficulty maintaining close friendships (globalization can have a negative impact)

Question 4

Strengths

Answer 4

• researchers generalized results to make hypothesis about east asian countries with similar values

Question 5

Limitations

Answer 5

• casual relationships are not clear (frienndship orientation) - meaning maybe fewer friends leads someone to be more individualistic and have a lower subjective well-being

Question 6

Ethical considerations

Answer 6

• protection from harm (questions could bring up sesitive issues)
• informed consent (students should know they wull be asked about their subjective well-being)

Question 7

Research method

Answer 7

• correlation study