Psychological processes are shaped by the cultural, social, and ecological environments in which people live. Our research draws primarily on cultural and cross-cultural psychology to understand both cultural diversity and common psychological processes across societies. Rather than treating culture simply as differences between countries, we are interested in the psychological processes through which people relate to others, adapt to their social and cultural environments, understand the societies in which they live, and respond to contemporary social and global challenges.
Our research spans several interconnected themes. We also welcome students to develop their own questions within the broader field of sociocultural psychology, including topics that extend beyond the lab’s current projects.
1. Culture, Self, and Social Relationships
A major focus of our research concerns how culture shapes the ways people understand themselves and relate to others. Much of our current work examines interdependence in East Asia. We are interested in moving beyond a simple individualism–collectivism distinction to investigate different forms of interdependence, relational selfhood, interpersonal motivations, and culturally shaped approaches to maintaining harmony and pursuing achievement.
We also examine the social and ecological conditions that may contribute to these cultural patterns and their consequences for interpersonal behavior and psychological adaptation.
Keywords: interdependence, relational self, interpersonal motivation, harmony, Japan–Korea comparison, varieties of collectivism
2. Culture, Society, and Well-Being
How people experience well-being depends not only on individual characteristics but also on the cultural and societal environments in which they live. We investigate cultural variation in happiness, meaning in life, and other aspects of well-being, with particular interest in East Asian societies.
We are also interested in how people understand broader features of society—including inequality, social structures, and societal change—and how these perceptions relate to psychological experiences and well-being. Research within the lab extends to culturally embedded systems of meaning, including religiosity, impermanence and ephemerality, and other ways through which individuals understand themselves and their lives in relation to their social and cultural worlds.
Keywords: subjective well-being, meaning in life, inequality, social perceptions, religiosity, impermanence, ephemerality, East Asian well-being
3. Acculturation and Intergroup Relations
Our research examines cultural adaptation from the perspectives of both minority and majority group members. Acculturation is not simply a process through which migrants or cultural minorities adjust to a majority culture; it is a dynamic process involving expectations, attitudes, and behaviors on both sides.
We investigate how people perceive multicultural environments, how majority-group expectations correspond with minority-group acculturation strategies, and what psychological and social conditions facilitate successful adaptation and positive intergroup relations.
Keywords: acculturation, multiculturalism, majority–minority relations, cultural adaptation, acculturation expectations, coping, intergroup relations
4. Environmental Psychology and Global Challenges
We examine psychological responses to climate change and other environmental challenges from cultural and cross-cultural perspectives. Our research considers how people perceive climate risks, experience climate-related emotions, and respond behaviorally to environmental problems.
We are particularly interested in climate anxiety and well-being, perceptions of climate justice, beliefs about societal futures, and cultural variation in pro-environmental attitudes and behavior. More broadly, this research asks how psychological science can contribute to understanding human responses to global challenges while recognizing differences in cultural and societal contexts.
Keywords: climate change, climate anxiety, climate justice, environmental behavior, societal futures, environmental well-being
5. Other Collaborative Research
Research in our lab is not limited to these themes. Students are encouraged to develop theoretically meaningful questions about the relationships among culture, society, and psychology. We also actively collaborate with researchers across countries and disciplines on topics that extend beyond our core research areas.