Family characteristics and dynamics in Japan and the United States: A preliminary report from the family environment scale

Abstract

This paper uses the Family Environment Scale (FES) to compare and contrast psychosocial environments of Japanese families with those of American families. The aim is to explore some cultural dynamics of each society from the point of view of family behavior. The FES contains 10 subscales, measuring the following family characteristics: Cohesion, Expressiveness, Conflict, Independence, Achievement Orientation, Intellectual-Cultural Orientation, Active-Recreational Orientation, Moral-Religious Emphasis, Organization, and Control. Comparison of each subscale between Japan and the United States revealed that: (a) Cohesion and Control were positively correlated for Japanese parents but negatively correlated for American parents; (b) Achievement Orientation and Intellectual-Cultural Orientation were positively correlated for Japanese parents and uncorrelated for American parents; (c) Cohesion and Control were negatively correlated for American children but uncorrelated for Japanese children; and (d) Achievement and Conflict were positively correlated for Japanese children but uncorrelated for American children. Eight of the 10 constructs were useful for understanding family dynamics in Japan. Independence and Expressiveness, which are important for American families, did not seem to be easily understood concepts for the Japanese. The results and the implications are discussed in terms of cross-cultural understanding between Japan and the United States.