Cultural similarities and differences in lay theories of altruism: Replication of Carlson and Zaki (2018) in a Japanese sample

Abstract Previous studies have confirmed that some benefits related to prosocial acts (e.g., tax reduction for charitable donation) can influence how the prosocial acts are perceived by others. Carlson and Zaki (2018) systematically investigated how altruism perceived by observers is influenced by self‐oriented benefits (material, social, and emotional benefits) that actors received (consequences) or expected to receive before acting (motives) in an American sample. Their experiments showed that prosocial acts with material and social benefits were perceived as less altruistic than those with other‐oriented benefits. Additionally, prosocial acts motivated by self‐oriented benefits (material, social, or emotional benefits) were perceived as less altruistic than those with other‐oriented motives. To examine the generalisability of those results, the present study replicated Carlson and Zaki (2018) in a Japanese sample. In general, the present study successfully replicated the original results. However, there were three differences: (a) Japanese individuals considered altruistic behaviours with social benefits equally altruistic as prosocial acts with other‐oriented benefits, (b) Japanese individuals considered prosocial acts motivated by emotional benefits as not altruistic, and (c) by default, Japanese individuals tended to see others as selfish. The origins of these cultural differences are discussed.