What are the differences between the ideal
and ought selves in the Japanese: An analysis of trait terms and categories in self-state representation by college
students.
THE JAPANESE JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY 2000, Vol. 8 No. 2, 113 - 124.
The purpose of this study was to examine the differences between the ideal and ought selves, in addition to their differences from the actual self in the Japanese. One hundred and three Japanese undergraduates (42 males and 61 females) were asked to list up to ten attributes for each of their self-states. Three graduate students working together classified 763 terms that resulted into 41 categories. Comparison of frequencies showed that more attributes, and more negative categories, were used for the representation of the actual self than the others. Physical and interpersonal attractiveness categories were used more often in the ideal than ought self, whereas responsibility and modesty categories more in the ought than ideal self. These results suggest that modifications of self-discrepancy theory are necessary in order to take into account of the cultural differences in the ought self, especially when it is applied to the Japanese.
Key words: ideal self, ought self, actual self, attributes, self-discrepancy theory