Effects of recalling episodes of influencing attempts on cognition in Japan

Abstract

This study examined the power-cognition relationships in Japan, considering the differences related to interpersonal influence from Western cultures. Participants were instructed to recall episodes of influencing others (high-power condition) or being influenced by others (low-power condition), think about managing a group as a leader, or recall the summary of a drama or movie as a control condition. In Study 1, participants in the high-power condition reported a higher sense of power than those in the low-power condition. Participants in the control condition of Study 2 rated their sense of power the least among the four experimental conditions. However, there were no differences in innovativeness, positive affection, and the Behavioral Approach System between the high-power and control conditions. Many of the results of Bayesian factors supported the null hypotheses. These results did not support the power-cognition relationships. Considering that the Japanese are globally considered to be less assertive, these results suggest a low susceptibility to the activation of a sense of power and the possibility of a weakness in the frame of power in Japanese interpersonal relationships.