Ogihara & Uchida (2014)- Socio- Cultural Dimensions on Behavior, Acculturation, Culture on Behavior or Cognition

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To investigate the effect of an individualistic workplace environment on subjective well-being and relationships among Japanese women.

They wanted to see how cultural values interact, what happens when people from a collectivistic culture (Japan) are placed in an individualistic work environment.

Question 2

Sample

Answer 2

34 Adult Japanese Women who worked for a large insurance company in Japan where performance and achievement-oriented goals were posted on the walls of the offices.

Question 3

Procedure

Answer 3

he researchers studied 34 Japanese female employees working at a large insurance company in Japan.

The company had just adopted western values by placing achievenment and performance oriented posters on their walls where individual achievement was encouraged.

The participants completed standardized questionnaires measuring:

Individualistic vs. collectivistic orientation (how much they valued personal success vs. group harmony)
Subjective well-being (life satisfaction, happiness).
Quality of social relationships (e.g., how many close friends they had).

Question 4

Findings

Answer 4

Participants who were more achievement-oriented:

Reported lower levels of subjective well-being
Had fewer close friendships

In other words, adopting individualism in a collectivist culture may create internal conflict — they succeed at work but feel lonely or disconnected, which lowers happiness.

Question 5

Individualism

Answer 5

A cultural value emphasizing personal achievement, independence, and individual goals over group goals. Common in Western societies.

Question 6

Collectivism

Answer 6

A cultural value that prioritizes group harmony, interdependence, and maintaining strong social relationships over personal achievement. Common in East Asian societies like Japan.

Question 7

Cultural Mismatch

Answer 7

A situation in which the values or norms of an individual conflict with the dominant values of the environment. In this study, the mismatch is between collectivistic upbringing and an individualistic workplace.

Question 8

Globalization

Answer 8

Refers to the broad process through which cultures become interconnected, often leading to the spread of values like individualism into traditionally collectivist societies (like Japan).