Yasumasa Tanaka

Psychological dimensions of risk assessment: Risk perception and risk communication☆

Abstract People fear risks and try to avoid them. With a basic innate drive of sensing risks and protecting safety, humans can survive both natural and man-made catastrophes. Modern science and technology considerably serve for predicting risks and lend themselves to increasing protection for humans. In recent years, however, perception and communication gaps seem to be sharpening between scientists and lay public as to what is safe and how safe is safe enough. The present paper is an attempt to illustrate the causes of such perception and communication gaps and present some empirical evidence to understand the psychological foundation of fears in the lay public.

Values in the Subjective Culture: A Social Psychological View

Using POLDI (a variation of the semantic differential method) as a measuring instrument, evidence was shown that there is the subtle but real cultural uniquenesses of evaluative criteria despite the over-all consistency in the semantic frame of reference when Japanese and German Ss judged a set of nation concepts. Next, Evaluative Atlases of several critical concepts were constructed on the basis of data collected in 15 language/culture communities by means of multi-lingual semantic differentials, and comparisons were made among the 15 communities. Finally, a plan of intercultural cooperation was proposed, in that the responsibility of social and behavioral scientists is stressed for both making up and executing plans for the engineering of such intercultural cooperation.

WOMEN'S GROWING ROLE IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN

Abstract This paper discusses the ongoing changes in socio-cultural values regarding women in business and industrial infrastructure accruing from the emerging womenpower in contemporary Japan. Women are becoming an important part of corporate culture. Their role in political life is also increasing. The mass media programmes are frequently targeted to female audiences. In contrast, the fate of men, especially that of husbands, seems to be getting increasingly obscure in contemporary Japanese society. From the perspective of work organizations, a true picture of ongoing changes in socio-cultural values regarding women and in the infrastructure accrued from the emerging womenpower in Japan deserves future research attention.

Toward a Multi-Level, Multi-Stage Model of Modernization. A Cross-Cultural Social-Psychology Approach

Abstract Le developpement economique est presente comme un processus ecologique impliquant des antecedents et consequents a la fois institutionnels et psychologiques dont les interactions composent un modele complexe. Sont etudiees plus particulierement ici les variables psychologiques qui, dans une culture donnee, se revelent susceptibles ďinfluencer le phenomene de modernisation. Les attitudes de divers groupes culturels envers certaines valeurs specifiques ayant trait au developpement economique sont mesurees par des differenciateurs semantiques multilingues. Ces appreciations sont analysees et comparees en fonction du degre ďindustrialisation des pays etudies.

Nuclear issues in the Asia-Pacific region: Socio-political factors

This paper explores the prospect of peaceful use of nuclear power in the Asia-Pacific region, criteria for judging the acceptability of nuclear electric power in the region, and alternative worldviews on the basis of which a regional nuclear order should be established. First, current nuclear power issues in Japan are discussed. Secondly, the Asia-Pacific countries are classified according to their stages of civilian nuclear development. Thirdly, the acceptability of civilian nuclear power in the region is discussed, using nuclear nonproliferation, safety, and public acceptance as three major criteria. Fourthly, conflicts of interest that cut across North/South, East/West, nuclear/non-nuclear, and nuclear weapons states/non-nuclear weapons states boundaries are discussed. Lastly, it is proposed that an international forum be convened of all the countries concerned with nuclear issues in the region. Several major objectives of this forum are suggested, including construction of a rational model of a solution for non-zero-sum gain to everyone regarding use of nuclear power in the region.

Subjective culture and technology a social psychological examination of "nuclear allergy" in the Japanese.

Our century is characterized by two great achievements of science and technology: nuclear and space explorations. Science and technology are mankind’s hope in time and space, and a real power has been attained in the shaping of twentieth century civilization a power by which man makes the hitherto unknown known, the hitherto impossible possible. On the other hand, we must recognize the note of apathy and uncertainty about the future that exists in every community in the world, In the developed countries, this attitude is mingled with the fear of nuclear war, the population explosion, environmental crisis, and bewilderment caused by rapidly changing societal norms and mores. In the developing countries, these attitudes are compounded by the frustrations associated with unfulfilled desires for rapid development of economy and industry and the suspicion that these countries are prey for exploitation by the more developed. One wonders if science and technology can help reduce t h e fear, bewilderment, and suspicion concomitant t o the rapid growth of science and technology in the same manner as they have managed t o send men t o the moon. This year we have been celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the end of World War 11. A period of 30 years is long enough t o bury previous hostile memories in oblivion, and it has passed without a recurrence of total war, which would have inevitably been a nuclear war. In the wake of new hostilities, however, there have been several threatening moments in recent memory when the world stood o n the brink of nuclear war. Nuclear arms control is a reasonable means by which we can approach world peace, even if it does not prevent an occurrence of conventional warfare. It would certainly enable us t o live in a less fearful world. It is hoped that nuclear arms control negotiations, such as the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) will be successful. Even here, we have some discouraging signs. While these talks continue, so too do nuclear