German and Japanese Self - Are Japanese really motivated by negative feedback?

Abstract

The present research examined reactions to unexpected feedback. Study 1 replicated the findings of Witte and Linnewedel (1993) that unexpected feedback leads to self-verification. Study 2 compared two cultures in their reaction to unexpected feedback, Germany as the alledged independent and Japan as the alledged interdependent culture. German participants were in fact more independent, whereas the two cultures did not differ regarding interdependence. Both cultures showed higher levels of motivation after positive feedback than after negative feedback. However, Japanese participants were much more motivated after negative feedback than their German counterparts. Overall, Japanese seem to be more resistant to external influences. They attributed positive feedback externally and negative feedback internally, confirming their inherent belief in self-improvement. Confirming the literature (Heine, Kitayama, & Lehman, 2001; Heine, Lehman, Markus, & Kitayama, 1999), Japanese did not show self-enhancing tendencies but a rather self-critical approach. German participants seemed to have a greater need for positive self-regard. Some situations caused attribution according to the self-serving bias, other situations caused self-verification processes. Interestingly, gender differences revealed women to react more extremely than men in both cultures. While Japanese women showed the highest level of motivation of all participants after both, positive and negative feedback, German women were highly motivated after positive feedback but even demotivated after negative feedback.