Managing social predicaments created by others: A comparison of Japanese and American facework

Abstract

This study is a comparison of US American and Japanese cultures in terms of the incidence and management of face threatening predicaments perpetrated by others. Eleven categories of other‐induced predicaments were found in both Japanese and US American samples. The relative occurrence of each type of situation was not significantly different between cultures. It was hypothesized that US Americans are more likely than Japanese to employ remedial responses of humor, accounts, and aggression, and Japanese are more likely than US Americans to employ remedial responses of apology and remediation. These predictions were supported.