The 93rd WIAPS Seminar (Dec. 9th)

Date & Time

Dec. 9, 2024 (Monday) 12:25-13:00

Venue

ZOOM Webinar

Intended Audience

WIAPS Full-time Faculty/Research Associates, WIAPS Exchange Researchers/Visiting Scholars/Visiting Researchers, GSAPS MA/Ph.D. Students

Presentation

Presenter

Maho Aikawa (Assistant Professor [non-tenure-track], WIAPS)

Presentation Theme

Ally vs. Dependency Images in a Paternalistic International Relation: Understanding Their Roles through the Example of U.S. Military Base Issue in Japan

Abstract

Intergroup relation research in social psychology has often treated intergroup phenomena in unequal relationships between two groups as intergroup conflicts (Rouhana, 2018), and the field has focused less on paternalistic and non-conflictual phenomena in such a relationship (Jackman, 1994). According to Jackman (1994), paternalism is characterized by a cooperative yet unequal relationship where a dominant group views a subordinate group with benevolence and discriminatory or exploitative intention. Furthermore, subordinates are often dependent on dominants in a paternalistic relationship. With the aim of furthering our understanding of paternalism in intergroup relations, the current talk will explore paternalism in an international relationship, particularly the US-Japan relationship and the issue surrounding the US military bases in Japan. Specifically, based on two studies conducted recently, the talk will shed light on the roles of ally and dependency images of Japan (Alexander et al., 1999) in its relationship with the U.S. in relation to the U.S. military’s presence in the country: Study 1 investigated, among American (N = 224) and Japanese participants (N = 206), the roles of ally and dependency images of Japan in justification of environmental harm done by the US military and support for policy change to address the issue. Study 2 was then conducted to follow up the first study with a different Japanese sample (N = 276) to identify mechanisms for ally and dependency ingroup images in their relationships with the outcomes. The current talk will highlight differences in the roles of ally and dependency images as outgroup and ingroup images demonstrated across the two studies. Additionally, I will discuss the implications of the studies’ findings regarding how paternalism is manifested in intergroup relations.