Cultural similarities and differences tend to be revealed in a regional context. For instance, Robustelli and Whisman (2018) compare individual scores in the US and Japan and hypothesize that life satisfaction in the two countries correlates with gratitude. Their quantitative study involves middle-aged and older adults and considers life satisfaction variables through the assessment of three main domains – “health, work, and relationships” (Robustelli & Whisman, 2018, p. 44). The hypothesis was proven, and the results showed that the indicators of life satisfaction and gratitude were higher in the United States than in Japan.
Comparing individual cultural indicators in these two countries can be performed through Hofstede’s framework. Based on the comparison chart between the US and Japan, one can see that the scores differ critically (“Compare countries,” 2022). For instance, the aspect of individualism is significantly higher in the US than in Japan (91 and 46, respectively) (“Compare countries,” 2022). Long-term orientation, in turn, is much higher in the eastern than in the western country (88 and 26, respectively) (“Compare countries,” 2022). This speaks of distinctive attitudes towards life and different views on personal development.
Cross-cultural research is a valuable practice in comparing individual cultures and identifying similarities and differences to form insights into specific trends. In his work, Heine (2020) considers various reasons and justifications for such activities. At the same time, this work may be accompanied by some difficulties. For instance, identifying differences between individual parameters can be subjective because distinctive cultures view certain aspects of life differently. Heine (2020) also mentions questionnaires as data collection tools, but people can perceive such instruments differently, and the veracity of the information collected can be challenged. Finally, the language barrier can be an obstacle to the adequate assessment of differences. All of these potential challenges are crucial to take into account when evaluating different cultures.
References
Compare countries. (2022). Hofstede Insights. Web.
Heine, S. J. (2020). Cultural psychology (4th ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.
Robustelli, B. L., & Whisman, M. A. (2018). Gratitude and life satisfaction in the United States and Japan. Journal of Happiness Studies, 19(1), 41-55. Web.