Comparing the determinants of punitiveness in Japan and Costa Rica

Abstract

ABSTRACT While there is a growing interest in the comparative analysis of individuals’ punitiveness, research comparing its determinants across societies remains scarce. This study aims to address this gap by examining the differences and similarities in the determinants of individual punitiveness in two societies with differing characteristics: Japan and Costa Rica. Drawing on a model based on the (late) modernisation perspective, we conducted multi-group structural equation modelling utilising data from 400 Japanese and 413 Costa Rican participants. The results revealed that fear of crime consistently predicts punitiveness in both countries. Although the direct and total indirect effects of other variables, such as economic anxiety, identity anxiety, social dominance orientation, and xenophobic attitudes, were significant, their effects varied across countries. In conclusion, this study not only validated the generalisability of the existing model but also highlighted suggestive national differences in the determinants of individual punitiveness in Japan and Costa Rica.