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High subjective social status (SSS) is believed to protect health in the current literature. However, high SSS entails social responsibilities that can be stressful in collectivistic cultural contexts. Here, we tested the hypothesis that those socialized in collectivistic societies (e.g., Japan) recognize their high social status as entailing social duties difficult to ignore even when they are excessive. Using cross-cultural survey data (N = 1,289) and a measure of biological health risk (BHR) by biomarkers of inflammation and cardiovascular malfunction, we found that higher SSS predicted lower BHR for American males. In contrast, higher SSS predicted higher BHR for Japanese males, mediated by the perceived difficulty of disengaging from their current goals. In both cultural groups, females showed no association between SSS and BHR. These findings suggest that social status has differing health implications, depending on the relative salience of privileges and burden-producing responsibilities in different cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social hierarchy is one fundamental aspect of social living, structuring interactions in families, teams, and entire societies. In this review, we put forward a cultural psychological approach to social hierarchy, positing that rank differences are embedded within larger cultural meaning systems, which shape how high rank is attained or conferred and how social hierarchy affords behavior and psychology. We then examine manifestations of hierarchy in two cultural meaning systems: Western and East Asian cultural contexts. Accumulating evidence on collective, interpersonal, and individual processes suggests cultural similarities in self-orientation but cultural differences in other-orientation of high-ranking individuals. Such literature reveal how thought and behavior within social hierarchies and cultural beliefs, values, and norms mutually constitute each other. We close with a discussion of how the present review is a stepping stone for future research and of remaining questions to further advance social hierarchy research across wider and more diverse cultural contexts. Social hierarchy is one fundamental aspect of human life, structuring interactions in families, teams, and entire societies. In this review, we put forward a new theory about how social hierarchy is shaped by the wider societal contexts (i.e., cultures). Comparing East Asian and Western cultural contexts, we show how culture comprises societal beliefs about who can raise to high rank (e.g., become a leader), shapes interactions between high- and low-ranking individuals (e.g., in a team), and influences human thought and behavior in social hierarchies. Overall, we find cultural similarities, in that high-ranking individuals are agentic and self-oriented in both cultural contexts. But we also find important cross-cultural differences. In East Asian cultural contexts, high-ranking individuals are also other oriented; they are also concerned about the people around them and their relationships. We close with a call to action, suggesting studying social hierarchies in more diverse cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-cultural research suggests that rumination may have weaker maladaptive effects in Eastern than in Western cultural contexts. This study examines a mechanism underlying cultural differences in mental health correlates of rumination from sociocultural cognitive perspective. We propose that cultures differ in how people attribute rumination, which can lead to cultural differences in the link between rumination and mental health correlates. We developed the Attribution of Rumination scale, tested cultural differences (Study 1), and examined its relationship with theoretically related constructs (Study 2). In Study 3, self-doubt attribution moderated the association between rumination and mental health, partly explaining cultural differences in the rumination–mental health link. Study 4 replicated self-doubt attribution moderating the link between rumination and mental health among Asians. Furthermore, greater exposure to American culture was associated with self-doubt attribution. This work provides a novel approach to understanding cultural differences in the association between rumination and negative psychological correlates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this longitudinal study, pregnant women in Japan and the United States reported on three coping strategies. Two are individually phrased: personal influence over outcomes and acceptance of outcomes. The third, social assurance, is grounded in relationships, noting that close others can influence outcomes. A European American sample rated acceptance highest as a strategy, whereas Japanese women rated social assurance highest. For Americans, acceptance correlated with better pregnancy outcomes (less distress over time, better prenatal care, and less weight gain). For Japanese women, social assurance predicted a more positive maternal relationship. Acceptance correlated with less Time 1 distress in both samples. Surprisingly, personal influence generally did not predict positive outcomes in either sample, perhaps because normal pregnancy is a time-limited event with a positive prognosis. The findings are consistent with the view that well-being is related to individual variables in the United States but also to features of social relationships in Japan. Keywords: culture; health; pregnancy; primary control; secondary control; longitudinal study; Japan; United States

Previous studies have demonstrated cross‐cultural differences in the levels of self‐rated health (SRH), an individual's overall perception of their health, and that Korea and Japan tend to show relatively poor SRH despite higher life expectancy compared to countries like the United States. While it has been suggested that response styles and macro‐level cultural values contribute to such differences, there is limited research on what other factors might be. The present study focused on influence and adjustment strategies as a potential cultural factor that could partly explain the cultural differences in SRH. Results from structural equation modeling have shown that Americans reported greater influence and positive reappraisal, plus a lower adjustment of goals than Japanese individuals, which partially explained the higher SRH among Americans than in the Japanese. These patterns were found even when a more objective measure of health (i.e., chronic conditions) was controlled for. Together, the findings highlight the role of influence and adjustment in understanding cultural differences in SRH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of cultural differences in relationships and emotions has accumulated over the past few decades. As findings on cultural differences in psychological processes have increased, there has been growing interest in investigating whether they have implications for other phenomena, such as health. Using scientific advances from the MIDUS and MIDJA studies, both publicly available, we examine links between culture and health. First, there is a brief review of the accumulated evidence on cultural influences on health correlates concerning psychosocial factors. We then feature two recent developments: a more micro‐level perspective regarding biological factors that may be involved in the culture and health linkage, and a more macro‐level view of socioeconomic inequality, which also concerns health. Both perspectives inform the pathways through which health effects become manifest. Finally, we conclude our review by highlighting the changing historical contexts within which these cross‐cultural investigations occur. Specifically, we draw attention to the widening of economic inequality across cultures and the world‐wide COVID‐19 pandemic. These instances bring notable implications for future research on health across cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of cultural differences in relationships and emotions has accumulated over the past few decades. As findings on cultural differences in psychological processes have increased, there has been growing interest in investigating whether they have implications for other phenomena, such as health. Using scientific advances from the MIDUS and MIDJA studies, both publicly available, we examine links between culture and health. First, there is a brief review of the accumulated evidence on cultural influences on health correlates concerning psychosocial factors. We then feature two recent developments: a more micro‐level perspective regarding biological factors that may be involved in the culture and health linkage, and a more macro‐level view of socioeconomic inequality, which also concerns health. Both perspectives inform the pathways through which health effects become manifest. Finally, we conclude our review by highlighting the changing historical contexts within which these cross‐cultural investigations occur. Specifically, we draw attention to the widening of economic inequality across cultures and the world‐wide COVID‐19 pandemic. These instances bring notable implications for future research on health across cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is essential for eukaryotic cells, whereas bacterial homologs play a role under stresses and in pathogenesis. Identifying species-specific Hsp90 inhibitors is challenging because Hsp90 is evolutionarily conserved. We found that a cyclic lipopeptide surfactin inhibits the ATPase activity of Hsp90 from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus (S.elongatus) PCC 7942 but does not inhibit Escherichia coli (E.coli), yeast and human Hsp90s. Molecular docking simulations indicated that surfactin could bind to the N-terminal dimerization interface of the cyanobacterial Hsp90 in the ATP- and ADP-bound states, which provided molecular insights into the species-selective inhibition. The data suggest that surfactin inhibits a rate-limiting conformational change of S.elongatus Hsp90 in the ATP hydrolysis. Surfactin also inhibited the interaction of the cyanobacterial Hsp90 with a model substrate, and suppressed S.elongatus growth under heat stress, but not that of E.coli. Surfactin did not show significant cellular toxicity towards mammalian cells. These results indicate that surfactin inhibits the cellular function of Hsp90 specifically in the cyanobacterium. The present study shows that a cyclic peptide has a great specificity to interact with a specific homolog of a highly conserved protein family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional limitations-difficulty in carrying out activities of daily living-have been linked to poorer well-being in Western cultures. This might be partly due to the lower personal control associated with functional limitations. However, compared with the West, in Asian cultural contexts (e.g., Japan) where agency and control are based less predominantly on individual attributes, the link between functional limitations and well-being may be weaker. Using cross-sectional probability samples from the United States and Japan (Study 1), functional limitations were associated with lower well-being in both cultures, though the association was weaker in Japan than in the United States and personal control played a mediating role. Furthermore, analyses of longitudinal data (Study 2) showed the cross-cultural patterns generally consistent with the cross-sectional analyses of Study 1, though the cultural moderation was found for fewer well-being measures. Such findings enrich our understanding of how health status and well-being are related across cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the present research is to examine socio-ecological hypothesis on apology and compensation. Specifically, we conducted four studies to test the idea that an apology is an effective means to induce reconciliation in a residentially stable community, whereas compensation is an effective means in a residentially mobile community. In Studies 1, 2a, and 2b, American and Japanese participants (national difference in mobility; Study 1) or non-movers and movers (within-nation difference in mobility; Studies 2a and 2b) imagined the situations in which they were hurt by their friends and rated to what extent they would be willing to maintain their friendships upon receipt of apology or compensation. The results showed that compensation was more effective in appeasing residentially mobile people (i.e., Americans and movers) than stable people (i.e., Japanese and non-movers), while apology was slightly more effective appeasing residentially stable people than residentially mobile people (significant in Study 1; not significant in Studies 2a and 2b). In Study 3, by conducting an economics game experiment, we directly tested the hypothesis that mobility would impair the effectiveness of apology and enhance the effectiveness of compensation. The results again partially supported our hypothesis: In the high mobility condition, compensation increased one's willingness to continue the relationship with the offender, when compared to willingness in the low mobility condition. The importance of socio-ecological perspective on the forgiveness literature is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion regulation is important for psychological health and can be achieved by implementing various strategies. How one regulates emotions is critical for maximizing psychological health. Few studies, however, tested the psychological correlates of different emotion regulation strategies across multiple cultures. In a preregistered cross-cultural study (N = 3,960, 19 countries), conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, we assessed associations between the use of seven emotion regulation strategies (situation selection, distraction, rumination, cognitive reappraisal, acceptance, expressive suppression, and emotional support seeking) and four indices of psychological health (life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and loneliness). Model comparisons based on Bayesian information criteria provided support for cultural differences in 36% of associations, with very strong support for differences in 18% of associations. Strategies that were linked to worse psychological health in individualist countries (e.g., rumination, expressive suppression) were unrelated or linked to better psychological health in collectivist countries. Cultural differences in associations with psychological health were most prominent for expressive suppression and rumination and also found for distraction and acceptance. In addition, we found evidence for cultural similarities in 46% of associations between strategies and psychological health, but none of this evidence was very strong. Cultural similarities were most prominent in associations of psychological health with emotional support seeking. These findings highlight the importance of considering the cultural context to understand how individuals from diverse backgrounds manage unpleasant emotions. Public Significance Statement: This study assessed links between multiple emotion regulation strategies and indices of psychological health in diverse countries around the world as people coped with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these links were similar across countries, but some were different, such that strategies that were positively related to psychological health in some countries were unrelated or negatively related to psychological health in other countries. These findings highlight the importance of a culturally sensitive approach to emotion regulation and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroticism, a broad personality trait linked to negative emotions, is consistently linked to ill health when self-report is used to assess health. However, when health risk is assessed with biomarkers, the evidence is inconsistent. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the association between neuroticism and biological health risk is moderated by behavioral adjustment, a propensity to flexibly adjust behaviors to environmental contingencies. Using a U.S.-Japan cross-cultural survey, we found that neuroticism was linked to lower biological health risk for those who are high, but not low, in behavioral adjustment. Importantly, Japanese were higher in behavioral adjustment than European Americans, and as predicted by this cultural difference, neuroticism was linked to lower biological health risk for Japanese but not for European Americans. Finally, consistent with prior evidence, neuroticism was associated with worse self-reported health regardless of behavioral adjustment or culture. Discussion focused on the significance of identifying sociocultural correlates of biological health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Emerging evidence on cultural differences in health implications of emotions suggests that the cultural fit of emotions (i.e., accordance with culturally normative and prevalent patterns of emotions) is associated with better health. However, the mechanisms underlying the links between culture, emotions, and health are not clear. In this paper, we propose a psychosocial resources model of cultural fit as an integrative framework to guide the future work in this area. Following the review of cultural differences in emotions, we next review the accumulating evidence showing that culture modulates the link between emotions and health in such a way that the cultural fit of emotions positively predicts health. We then propose that psychosocial resources (e.g., resilience, meaning in life, and social support) play an important role in linking the cultural fit of emotions to health. The psychosocial resources model proposes that the emotion–health link is modulated and sustained via the relevance of emotions to resources and coping in a given cultural context. The model is supported by a line of research suggesting the role of cultural fit in the attainment of resources and another line of research showing the importance of psychosocial resources in health. Lastly, future directions will be discussed for research incorporating culture into the study of emotion and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish scales are an interesting natural structural material and their functionality requires both flexibility and toughness. Our previous studies identified that there are spatial variations in the elastic properties of fish scales corresponding to the anatomical regions, and that they appear to be attributed to changes in the microstructure. In the present study, a model is proposed that describes the elastic behavior of elasmoid fish scales in terms of the relative contributions of the limiting layer and both the internal and external elasmodine. The mechanical properties of scales from the Megalops atlanticus (i.e. tarpon) were characterized in tension and compared with predictions from the model. The average error between the predicted and the experimental properties was 7%. It was found that the gradient in mineral content and aspect ratio of the apatite crystals in the limiting layer played the most important roles on the elastic modulus of the scales. Furthermore, misalignment of plies in the external elasmodine from the longitudinal direction was shown to reduce the elastic modulus significantly. This is one approach for modulating the fish scale flexibility for a high mineral content that is required to increase the resistance to puncture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine associations between glucoregulation and 3 categories of psychological resources: hedonic well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect), eudaimonic well-being (i.e., personal growth, purpose in life, ikigai), and interdependent well-being (i.e., gratitude, peaceful disengagement, adjustment) among Japanese adults. The question is important given increases in rates of type 2 diabetes in Japan in recent years, combined with the fact that most prior studies linking psychological resources to better physical health have utilized Western samples. Method: Data came from the Midlife in Japan Study involving randomly selected participants from the Tokyo metropolitan area, a subsample of whom completed biological data collection (N = 382; 56.0% female; M(SD)age = 55.5(14.0) years). Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was the outcome. Models adjusted for age, gender, educational attainment, smoking, alcohol, chronic conditions, body mass index (BMI), use of antidiabetic medication, and negative affect. Results: Purpose in life (β = -.104, p = .021) was associated with lower HbA1c, and peaceful disengagement (β = .129, p = .003) was associated with higher HbA1c in fully adjusted models. Comparable to the effects of BMI, a 1 standard deviation change in well-being was associated with a .1% change in HbA1c. Conclusions: Associations among psychological resources and glucoregulation were mixed. Healthy glucoregulation was evident among Japanese adults with higher levels of purpose in life and lower levels of peaceful disengagement, thereby extending prior research from the United States. The results emphasize the need for considering sociocultural contexts in which psychological resources are experienced in order to understand linkages to physical health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy eating is important for physical health. Using large probability samples of middle-aged adults in the United States and Japan, we show that fitting with the culturally normative way of being predicts healthy eating. In the United States, a culture that prioritizes and emphasizes independence, being independent predicts eating a healthy diet (an index of fish, protein, fruit, vegetables, reverse-coded sugared beverages, and reverse-coded high fat meat consumption; Study 1) and not using nonmeat food as a way to cope with stress (Study 2a). In Japan, a culture that prioritizes and emphasizes interdependence, being interdependent predicts eating a healthy diet (Studies 1 and 2b). Furthermore, reflecting the types of agency that are prevalent in each context, these relationships are mediated by autonomy in the United States and positive relations with others in Japan. These findings highlight the importance of understanding cultural differences in shaping healthy behavior and have implications for designing health-promoting interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]